LEFT
by WannabeDragronTamer88
Summary: Danielle Marsh is 19 years old during the start of World War II, and when a few of her friends are interested in joining the "USO camp shows" she tags along...but quickly loses them down a crowded hallway. At the intersection...Dannie can go either right or left. This is Dannie's, and the Avengers, lives when she decides to turn…LEFT.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

 _Danielle Marsh is 19 years old during the start of World War II, and when a few of her friends are interested in joining the "USO camp shows" she tags along...but quickly loses them down a crowded hallway. At the intersection...Dannie can go either right or left. This is Dannie's, and the Avengers, lives when she decides to turn… **LEFT**_

* * *

 **An Unhappy Unit**

"How many of you are ready to help me sock old Adolf on the Jaw?"

The silence that followed "Captain America's" hearty question had Steve Rogers faltering.

"Okay. Uh." Steve turned awkwardly towards the sidelines of the stage, where one of the backup dancers stood. Her brown eyes looked wary, but she grinned when she saw Steve was looking at her, raising both hands to shoot him a thumbs up. Steve smiled tightly and turned back to the grumbling audience. Before he could continue with his spiel though, a soldier from the audience yelled out, "Bring back the girls!" and the other soldiers began to cheer loudly.

Steve looked back to one of the "girls," HIS "girl", if only in his head, and she shrugged. "I think they only know the one song," Steve warned, "But, I'll see what I can do,"

"Do that sweetheart," a voice drawled out, and another cupped his mouth to be heard, "Nice boots tinkerbell!"

The crowd roared with laughter, and Steve sighed. He could see the woman on the side of the stage clench her fists, the fake smile dropping quickly as she got irritated.

"Come on guys, we're all on the same team here," he tried to reason tiredly, but his weakness only made the audience grow rowdier.

"Sign this!" The crowd roared again at the childish antics of the soldier currently without any pants on. Steve's mouth dropped open, and the sound of footsteps rushing towards him distracted him from the tomato that was flung his way.

Luckily an arm reached out and snatched the tomato from the air, seconds before it made contact with his face. The tomato was hurled back into the audience, Steve was manhandled away from the mic, and an angry female voice took over.

* * *

Steve shook his head slowly as Dannie Marsh, the petite USO dancer from Oklahoma, cowed a crowd of soldiers into submission with nothing but a stern talking to.

And Steve thought of when he first spoke with the spitfire himself.

* * *

 **The Baseball Game**

"Now batting we have number 9, Matt Stonebrook, for the Cardinals. And the first pitch is a strike!" Steve grimaced at the radio, though he didn't look up from the letter he was writing.

"Spud Chandler has been on a roll all afternoon," the announcer added. "He's itching to finish this game and hand the Yanks a tenth world championship."

"Pitch two is another strike." The second announcer reported. "Stonebrook is looking antsy. For being one of the Cardinal's top hitters, he's not caught anything this game, has he?"

"Pick it up, Stonebrook," Steve muttered.

"Oh. A Cardinals fan?" The slightly disgusted voice had Steve looking up.

It was one of the USO performers, Steve recognized. With all the makeup and their costumes, they all sort of blended together on the stage, and they were all highly unapproachable, at least for Steve.

But in loose army fatigues and with her dark hair falling in damp curls around her face, this dancer didn't look so…scary.

"I'm not so sure if I can dance behind a cardinals fan." The woman shook her head sadly, and Steve quirked a smile.

"Not a cardinals fan," he corrected. "I just really don't like the Yankees."

The dancer tilted her head. "Let me guess. Dodgers?"

Steve nodded. The woman raised a fist. "They're not bad. They're definitely better than the Yankees." Steve laughed and nodded, and the woman took a seat next to Steve.

"I'm Dannie Marsh," she introduced, holding out her hand. Steve shook it.

"Steve."

"Wait." Dannie Marsh returned Steve's handshake firmly, then leaned back. "You mean to tell me your first name ISN'T Captain?"

Steve laughed again. "Not hardly." He admitted. "It's not even my rank."

Dannie eyes widened. "No!" She said shocked. "I never would've guessed!" Steve shrugged and Dannie turned slightly towards the radio.

"So what's the score?" She asked, settling in as if she planned to stay.

Steve found he didn't mind. He'd laughed more in the last five minutes than he had in what felt like years.

"1-0." He grimaced, and Dannie grunted.

"Come on red birds," Dannie encouraged the radio. "Eat those yanks for breakfast!"

Steve turned away from his letter, and leaned back in his seat, attention successfully diverted.

* * *

"Anyone seen Dannie?" one of the other dancers asked later. When the other girls shrugged, the red-head went to look for her friend.

She paused when she heard two loud yells coming from a nearby tent.

"He dropped it!" The dancer smiled at Dannie's disbelieving tone, raising an eyebrow when a deeper voice spoke next.

"I can't believe it…he does know this is the world series right?"

"It's not little league anymore bud!" Dannie insulted, and the dancer turned and began to walk the way she came.

Dannie was just fine.

Although, if any other dancer had been invited into Captain Steve Rogers tent, they wouldn't have been listening to a baseball game…

But that was just Dannie.

* * *

 **A Tomato a Day**

"Hey! Don't you know that tomatoes are a delicacy? Don't waste them on this loser!"

The crowd, shocked at first by the angry dancer in front of them, chuckled.

"Also," Dannie pointed a finger at the crowd, "A very wise person once told me that if you don't like what's happening right in front of your face and you can't find a respectable and moral way to back up, then you sit down, shut up, and don't forget that even wild animals have manners, so you should too!"

As the Dannie had continued to speak, the crowd had slowly joined into whatever she was quoting, as if they'd heard it before…as if they'd heard it many times. By the time the quote came to an end, the audience was word for word with Dannie.

Dannie leaned away from the mic, stunned. She turned to Steve, who shrugged and raised his hands. She turned back to the audience, and a slow smile grew on her face.

And a solder from the audience stood and held his hands to his mouth, forming a megaphone.

"MAAARRRSSSSHHH." He yelled.

Dannie clapped her hands and pointed at the man, nodding and beaming.

And the crowd of solders began to cheer and clap.

As if they knew her or something.

Steve shook his head wryly.

This was really just Dannie…being Dannie.

* * *

 **An Unlikely Ally**

Being a walking talking dancing monkey for the senator and all of America wasn't fun…but it was tolerable when Steve was reminded that this was his way of helping fight the war.

With a friend who understood what it felt like to want to do more but wasn't able to because of what they looked like, it was almost okay.

After the first game, Dannie Marsh and Steve Rogers had become friends. Dannie was a part of his performance, so where he went, she went. And where she went, sarcasm, sass, and an understanding ear followed. Steve and Dannie grew close as they traveled and confided in each other. Steve admitted that he hated being the center of attention, and Dannie complained that she'd wanted more for herself than being a half-naked doll.

"All of my brothers under 30 enlisted. Dad said if we were able and young, we should be doing something." Dannie shrugged and drank from the beer in front of her. Steve held his in one hand, but didn't bring it up to his mouth. "I wouldn't have minded wearing the uniform and joining the fight but," Dannie gestured to herself, where she wore casual clothing but her face and hair were still styled from the performance they'd just finished. "This was as close as I could get."

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. I met a woman during boot camp who was as close to the action as I was. I don't think that can stop you." Steve looked down at his drink. "Now, she's closer to the action than I am."

"No." Dannie switched her beer with his, and slapped his arm gently. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" Steve smirked at the empty beer bottle she'd traded with him. She took a swallow of his nearly full one.

"Act like your life is over. It's not. You may be wearing tights right now, and I may be wearing next to nothing most of the time," Dannie rolled her eyes, "But we're going to do some camp shows, right? We'll be close to the action again, right?" Dannie raised her beer as if in a toast. "Who knows? Maybe this is our chance. Maybe they'll need Captain monkey and his backup dancer to save the day."

"Have you ever even held a gun?" Steve furrowed his eyebrows.

Dannie held up a finger. "I have twelve brothers." She put up a second finger. "My momma died when I was a baby, so my daddy raised me like I was just another boy." She held up a third finger. "when I was 15 I caught the eye of a neighbor boy and my daddy wouldn't even let me talk to him until I knew how to load, unload, and shoot three different types of weapons…blindfolded."

Steve raised his eyebrows.

"I see I've underestimated you," He admitted, smiling at the woman he wasn't sure how he would've survived this press gig without…at his friend.

Dannie Marsh smiled and nodded.

"Everyone does." She confided.

Steve didn't doubt her.

* * *

 **Marsh's Kid Sister**

"Y'all know my brother?" In Dannie's excitement, her voice had slipped into the slight twangy accent that came from being raised in Oklahoma.

The man that had yelled her last name grinned and nodded. "Michael Marsh, that bastard!"

Dannie nodded quickly. "That's him!" She confirmed.

"You're his kid sister then?" Another voice yelled.

Dannie scoffed. "Do I look like a kid to you?" She teased, and the crowd laughed and hooted.

"So this is the 107th?" Steve started, scanning the crowd slowly.

He knew the 107th.

"What's it like being forced to work under my big brother?" Dannie asked the crowd.

The soldier grinned. "Michael Marsh was a good man… a good soldier."

Steve didn't miss the use of past tense, and neither did Dannie. He moved forward to stand behind her.

Her head tilted and her smile faded. "Was?" She repeated lightly. Her hands fell to her hips. "Where's my brother?"

The soldier shared a look with a few other men around them, and they bowed their heads. Dannie's lips pursed, and she ignored Steve, who moved his hand to her back and put pressure there.

She stayed where she was. "Where," She repeated, voice low, "Is my brother?"

When the crowd stayed silent longer, Dannie opened her mouth, but Steve knew where this was going, and he moved his hand from her back to her upper arms.

She began to struggle when she realized Steve was trying to get her off the stage.

"No." She whipped her head to the side to glare at Steve, "I need to know,"

Steve leaned forward. "Not right here. Go talk to that guy in the canteen." Dannie opened her mouth to argue, and Steve pushed. "You'll get the answers you want." He promised. "Just let him do it in private."

Give yourself privacy to react, was what Steve was really saying, and Dannie's breath caught. She nodded once, then marched off the stage, head held high.

Steve scratched the back of his neck, shrugged at the audience, then walked off as well.

* * *

 **Hitler's Dead**

Steve realized something a few weeks into their friendship.

Dannie was quickly becoming one of the best people Steve had ever met, and seeing as she was a girl, it was a weird feeling.

But it never felt like anything more than friendship…at least not until she punched Hitler in the face.

It was a part of the performance: Steve would be giving his spiel, and Hitler would be sneaking through the line of backup dancers, heading to attack Steve.

Steve would "catch" Hitler at the last second, punching him in the face, and defeating him for the sake of the audience.

In this particular instance, Hitler made it about three quarters of the way through the line of dancers before he was knocked flat on his back.

When Steve whirled around, Dannie was still holding her fists up. Her face was a mask of rage and indignation before she saw Steve watching, and she quickly dropped her hands and shot him a bright smile.

Steve turned back to the audience slowly. He smiled. "See? Everyone can sock old Adolf on the jaw, even you!" The crowd bought it after a moment, and the performance continued.

* * *

Steve cornered Dannie afterwards.

"What was that?" He asked. But Dannie had shrugged and refused to comment.

Luckily, the other dancers were more than happy to fill Steve in.

"I'm so glad that guy is gone!" One of the dancers admitted. "He was so handsy!"

Steve's eyes narrowed.

"He acted like just because we look like floozy's meant he could treat us like it," Another girl added.

"Guess he grabbed the wrong rear this time!" One of the girls joked, and the rest of the room burst into loud laughter.

Steve's eyes widened, and then narrowed into slits.

And when the actor who played Hitler left the performance on crutches and only after apologizing profusely and in a panicked air to Dannie, Steve smiled in satisfaction. Dannie shot him a suspicious look, but she never brought it up again.

And Steve didn't regret breaking the guys leg for touching Dannie.

He would've done the same for any of the other dancers.

Really.

* * *

 **For Our Brothers**

Steve watched from a corner of the canteen as Dannie sat across from a few soldiers. The one in the middle spoke slowly, face serious. Dannie nodded every few moments, her eyes glued to the soldiers face, her fists clenched in her lap.

Steve itched to go to her, to place a hand on her shoulder…but he stayed where he was.

"She's cute."

Steve turned. Peggy stood next to him, a small smile on her face and eyebrow raised.

"She's finding out that her brother is dead." Steve corrected.

"That doesn't make her less cute." Peggy tilted her head. Steve huffed.

"We're friends."

"I can see that." Peggy blinked.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Stop fishing. That's it. We're friends."

"If you say so." Peggy turned to watch the conversation go down. The soldier seemed to have finished his story, and he clapped a hand on Dannie's shoulder before rising and taking his leave.

Dannie sat for a moment at the table, eyes wide, frozen.

"He's not dead."

Steve turned to Peggy again.

"It was a mission gone wrong." Peggy explained slowly. "Many of our men were captured. Miss Marsh's brother was one of them."

Steve pursed his lips. Then, with one last glance at Dannie, who had stood and was moving quickly out of the canteen, he turned and did the same.

He had a colonel to speak to.

* * *

Dannie was waiting in his tent with two of the helmets that the dancers used in their costumes in her hands.

"I heard they got a friend of yours too." She spoke immediately.

Steve nodded, and Dannie threw one of the helmets towards him. "This sounds like a job for Captain Monkey and his trusty backup dancer."

Steve looked down at the helmet. Then he looked back up at Dannie.

Her eyes were hard, her face determined. She wore army fatigues and she raised an eyebrow.

"I already asked that Peggy woman. She said it was fine. She'll even give us a ride, but we gotta go. Come on," Dannie moved to the door of the tent and gestured out. "Let's go,"

"Dannie," Steve said slowly, but she interrupted him.

"Steve. This is our chance. Remember?"

And Steve did remember. He remembered the conversation he had had with this woman, and maybe this WAS their only chance.

"Let's go get our brothers," Dannie said lowly.

And Steve put on the helmet she'd handed to him and saluted her sharply.

"After you Soldier." He grinned.

And Dannie returned the smile, and then laughed.

A dancing monkey and a USO performer up against a huge base fully of unfriendlies?

Maybe it was an unwinnable mission….

But at least Steve had done something worth talking about.

And he was doing it with one of the best people in the world at his side.

* * *

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 **~CLC~**


	2. Chapter 2

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer**

* * *

 **First Fight**

"Is this your first fire fight then, sweetheart?"

Steve winced, opening his mouth to warn the pilot that one didn't talk to Dannie that way and survive, but Dannie beat him to it.

"Is this your first time talking to a woman, then, honeybunches?" She snapped.

Instead of being offended, the man laughed. "Touche." He flicked a few buttons on the controls and Dannie and Steve turned to Peggy, who debriefed them quickly on their mission.

When their plane hit fire, Steve opened the plane door and then turned to Dannie.

She shot him a wide-eyed look. "Jumping out of a plane then? Sure, no problem. I've always said that the best way to get over a debilitating fear of heights is to jump out of a plane." Steve opened his mouth, to say what he really wasn't sure, but Dannie was already running forward and making a mad leap out of the plane.

Peggy laughed. "I get why you like her," She yelled as Steve hurried after Dannie. "Because she's YOU."

Peggy's words rang in Steve's ears as he and Dannie snuck into the base and reached the soldiers. When they asked after Bucky and Dannie's brother, the answers they got weren't comforting, but still Steve and his backup dancer moved forward.

"Wait! Do you know what you're doing?" A freed soldier questioned as the two hurried away.

Steve paused and turned. "Yeah." He assured. "I knocked out Adolf Hitler over 200 hundred times." Steve tilted his head. "And she did once."

Dannie nodded brightly and hit her fist lightly into the palm of her hand. Then she and Steve shared a look, shrugged, and then hurried off.

"Cute." The soldier said after a moment before making his own escape.

* * *

Steve and Dannie found Bucky strapped to a table. The two quickly started to unstrap the man.

"He looks kind of out it," Dannie reported. "Talk to him anyway."

"Buck?" Steve leaned over. "It's me. It's Steve."

Dannie snorted, but Bucky seemed to brighten at that. "Steve?"

"Come on," Steve and Dannie helped the man stand.

"Steve," Bucky said again.

"I thought you were dead." Steve shook his head as the three hurried from the room.

"I thought you were smaller." Bucky said seriously. Dannie snorted, and Bucky turned a curious gaze her way. "Who are you?"

"I'm his back up dancer." She answered. "I've heard a lot about you. My names Dannie Marsh."

"Marsh." Bucky furrowed his brow. "I know that…that was the other guy."

"Where is he?" Steve asked, but Bucky shook his head.

"Guy didn't make it."

Steve felt Dannie falter, but only for a moment. She picked her pace up quickly.

"Dannie," Steve said, but Dannie interrupted him.

"It was always a possibility." She said briskly. "We still got this one we can save. I'm gonna focus on that for now."

Steve nodded quickly.

Bucky, not noticing the tension, turned to stare at Steve.

"Did it hurt?" He asked innocently.

"Yep." Steve answered.

"Is it permanent?" Bucky asked after a moment.

"So far." Steve rolled his eyes, and Dannie snickered.

* * *

The three of them paused at the edge of the metal bridge, staring down in shock as the building below them began to explode.

"Up." Dannie said immediately. "Up!" The three of them began to climb up the staircase, pausing as a loud voice began to speak with them.

"Captain America! How exciting!"

Steve frowned, and began to move towards the sound of the voice.

"I vote for NOT following the sound of the creepy voice," Dannie muttered, but neither of the men heard her, and with a sigh, she followed them. The voice continued.

"So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement," The man the voice belonged to stood in the middle of the bridge, a mocking smile on his face. "But still impressive."

Steve marched forward and punched the man in the face.

"You've got no idea." He retorted.

"Nein." The man hissed, and punched Steve's shield so hard it left a dent in it.

Dannie and Bucky shared a wide-eyed look as the two men fought. Once they had separated, the smaller man pressed a button and the bridge separated, Steve and his friends on one side, and whom could only be Johann Schmidt on the other.

"No matter what lies Erskine told you, I was his greatest success!" Schmidt removed his face, and Dannie screamed.

"Sorry." She apologized when everyone looked at her. "I just…wasn't expecting that."

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked Steve.

Steve grimaced, and Schmidt continued to speak.

"You are deluded Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left reality behind! Unlike you…I embrace it proudly."

"You're right about that." Dannie snickered under her breath. When Schmidt shot her a look, she spoke up.

"You're trying to compare yourself to Rogers…but the only monster I see is YOU."

Schmidt's eyes narrowed, and he moved back toward the bridge, which Schmidt's ally reluctantly reconnected.

"And who is this?" Schmidt sneered at Dannie, though he spoke to Steve. "Your sidekick?"

"Wrong." Dannie took a step forward and leveled her gun at the man. "My name is Dannie Marsh." She raised an eyebrow. "Michael Marsh was my brother."

"Ah. One of the experiments who did not survive." Dannie's hand clenched around her weapon, but she didn't move. Schmidt chuckled. "I believe he was the one who couldn't handle the heat." He turned to his little sidekick. "He burned from the inside out, did he not?" The man shook his head. "It wasn't a pretty sight."

"You're not a pretty sight," Dannie retorted, darting forward to hit Schmidt with the butt of her rifle. The scuffle was short, and ended with Dannie held three feet above the ground, Schmidt's hand clenched tight around her neck.

His eyes narrowed. "You're a spirited one." He brought her face closer to his. "Perhaps you could handle the heat?"

Dannie spit in his face, and with a snarl, Schmidt threw her. She flew backwards, and Bucky caught her at the last second.

"Perhaps you're a bit too spirited," Schmidt snarled.

Dannie snapped her teeth at him a few times, snarling as Schmidt made his escape.

"Now how do we get outta here?" Bucky asked seriously.

"Good question." Steve huffed.

"Idiots." Dannie took a running start, then jumped, landing on the other side of the bridge. After a look and a shrug, Bucky and then Steve followed suit.

"Whatever happened to your fear of heights?" Steve asked as they ran out.

"It died along with my brother." Dannie muttered.

Steve left her alone after that.

* * *

 **Secretary Marsh**

Steve and the soldiers he saved made a triumphant return to the base.

It was very heroic…if one discounted Dannie, who Steve carried piggy back.

The Col. Approached the captain and did his best not to smile.

Carter smiled freely.

Dannie shot a glare at the both of them.

"Some of these men need medical attention." He announced immediately. Dannie raised a hand, causing her to begin to slide off Steve's back, and he rolled his eyes. "And women." He adjusted Dannie so that she was no longer sliding off.

"I also surrender myself for disciplinary action." He added.

Dannie raised her hand again and once more began to slide off Steve's back.

"I don't surrender." She said seriously. "I never surrender." Steve did his best to keep her from falling, but it was a losing battle. With a smirk, Bucky moved forward and hefted Dannie into his arms bridal style.

"Also," She continued, hanging limply in Bucky's arms, "I don't work for you."

Col. Phillips stared at Dannie for a moment, trying to figure her out.

He gave up.

"You do now." He finally said, before nodding at Steve and then marching off.

"Wait." Dannie wriggled out of Bucky's arms, balancing on one leg, as the other was bandaged heavily though it was bleeding through. "What does that mean?" She hobbled after the colonel, loudly asking questions.

Steve sighed. "Marsh!" He barked, hurrying after her, "Stop walking on your leg, you're going to damage it further!"

Bucky shot Carter a smile. "It's been like this the whole trip." He admitted. Peggy shook her head, and Bucky turned to the soldiers, both those that had just returned, and those who had gathered to welcome the others back.

"Let's hear it for Captain America!" He yelled, and cheers erupted, loud enough that Steve and Dannie, who were arguing loudly a few feet away, could hear it.

They both shared a smile…but they didn't stop arguing.

Of course.

* * *

"They're giving you a team then?" Dannie toasted the Captain. "That's great." She winked at Bucky. "You're going with him to make sure he doesn't kill himself?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Of course. Can't let him go off alone, who knows what would happen."

"Really?" Steve asked exasperated, and the two laughed. "I regret ever introducing you two to each other."

"Calm down, friend," Bucky clapped Steve on the shoulder. "I'm not trying to steal your girl." Dannie made a face, and Bucky smirked. "I can't help it if she can tell I'm far superior to you."

Steve shoved his friend as Dannie smirked.

"Knock it off," He chided, turning to Dannie. "So what has Carter got you doing?"

"Because I assume the singing and dancing thing is over." Bucky spoke up. "Are you stuck doing secretary work?"

"No, actually." Dannie smiled. "I'll be helping form strategies with the howling commandos and leader," Dannie winked at Steve, "when they're here, and when you guys are off saving the world I'll be helping develop tech with Stark or working with Peggy or doing really whatever I want." Dannie switched her empty beer with Steve's full one. Bucky noticed and raised his eyebrows.

"So you're not upset to be missing all the action?" Steve teased. Dannie scoffed.

"Please, I'll leave all the dirty work to you and your friends. Besides, everyone knows who the real boss is." She stood and shot Steve a pointed look. "If you're not sure, let me say right now: It's me. I'm the boss."

Steve saluted. "Sir yes sir," He said, face serious. Dannie rolled her eyes and stepped away.

"I'll see you idiots later." Steve watched her walk away with a smile on his face.

"So that's how it is then." Bucky shook his head.

"What?" Steve turned to his friend, and Bucky made a suggestive look. "What?! No, it's not," Steve turned back to where Dannie had paused at where his team sat, laughing and speaking with them. "It…just is." He said after a moment.

Bucky was smirking when Steve turned back to look at him, and he shoved his friend.

"Shut up!"

Bucky just laughed.

* * *

 **Undercover Boss**

As the war progressed and Steve and his howling commandos fought valiantly, the group fell into a routine.

In between missions Captain America and his howling commandos would debrief and strategize at base, with Col. Phillips, Howard Stark, Agent Carter, and Dannie Marsh.

Because she'd successfully helped save over 400 soldiers, Col. Phillips had granted her a rank and Sergeant Marsh turned out to be an excellent strategist.

When the team was on break, and those were few and far between, Dannie and Steve without fail found time to spend together. More often than not Bucky was there as well, and Dannie and Bucky got along extremely well. Which was wonderful, but sometimes Steve wished they didn't get along SO well.

Before Steve and his team left on any mission, Dannie would see them off, wishing everyone well. Then she'd turn to Steve and poke his chest.

"I know you give the orders out there, but here, who's the boss?"

And Steve would grin and answer, "You are."

Dannie would nod and then say, "And what's my number one rule?"

"Come back alive." Was Steve's answer, though more often than not, the rest of the Howling commandos would answer as well, they knew the routine so well.

Dannie would grin. "And all in one piece." Then she would pat Steve lightly on the chest, nod significantly, then step back.

"Dismissed!" She would finish, and Steve would salute her and then usher his team off.

This exchange would happen every time. Without fail.

Except for the one time it didn't.

* * *

"Dude." Bucky looked around. "Shouldn't she be here right now?"

"Yeah." One of the howling commandos nodded. "She should be making eyes at Steve and threatening him at the same time."

Steve made a face, but he was confused as well. Where was Dannie?

"About that." Peggy smiled at Steve and at the howling commandos, as well as at the back up soldiers that were required for the mission. "Unfortunately, she is unable to see you off, as she has business to attend to." Steve's face fell, and Peggy's smile turned sympathetic. "She did ask me to inform you that she expects a very large gift when you return."

"How's he supposed to get a gift?" Bucky asked realistically.

"Get her Schmidt's head on a stick!" One of the back-up soldiers yelled, and the rest of the group cheered in agreement.

"Alright." Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll do that then."

And Steve ordered his men to move out, though he sent one last look around the base, as if he would see Dannie standing in the corner.

He didn't, and his men moved quickly.

Among them, disguised as a man, was one Dannie Marsh.

* * *

"You knew." The moment the team had returned, Steve had sought out Peggy.

His voice was carefully controlled, so Peggy thought nothing was wrong.

She sighed and looked up from her report.

"She heard Schmidt might be at this location. She wanted to be there in case he was." Peggy explained simply. "There was no harm in letting her go."

"So why the disguise?" Steve asked, voice still low, still carefully controlled. Peggy's eyebrows furrowed.

"She thought you wouldn't approve."

"Damn RIGHT I wouldn't have." Steve slammed his fist onto Peggy's desk, then turned away breathing harshly.

Peggy stood slowly. "Is everything alright?" She asked. "Where is Dannie?"

Steve shook his head, and Bucky entered the room, eyes bloodshot.

"She's gone," He said hoarsely.

"Hydra took her."

* * *

 **The Train**

"Remember when I took you on that ride at Coney Island?"

Bucky grimaced at the zipline in front of him.

Steve grunted. "Yeah, and I threw up?"

"This isn't payback, is it?"

Steve shot his best friend a look.

Since Dannie had been taken, spirits had been somber.

But rumor had it that there was an important package on that train.

Everyone was hoping it was Dannie.

"Now why would I do that?" Steve smirked lightly, and Bucky shook his head.

He'd take what he could get.

* * *

Right in the middle of the battle wasn't exactly the best time to stop…but Bucky had found the package.

"It's Dannie!" Bucky yelled even as he was reaching for the limp body and throwing it over his shoulder.

Steve didn't stop fighting, but he grinned.

"We always gonna meet like this?" Dannie's voice was slurred, but she was conscious.

And she was joking.

It was a good sign. They'd deal with the rest later. Bucky moved Dannie to a closer, slightly safe location, then moved quickly to back up his friend.

It was less than two minutes later that Bucky was dangling over a cliff, hanging precariously onto a rickety piece of metal. Steve was close, but he wasn't close enough.

But Dannie was.

Before Bucky could plummet to his death he found is wrist in a tight grip, and his body being hauled back onto the train.

Bucky locked eyes with Dannie, who looked terrible, except for her eyes. Her eyes were bright.

"You're welcome." She quipped.

Bucky huffed out a big breath. Steve, standing above Bucky, laughed.

Dannie smiled.

And then a large brute of a man that no one saw coming slammed into Dannie's body and threw the both of them over the edge.

"No!" Steve yelled.

But there wasn't time for Steve to do anything.

Dannie was gone.

Again.

* * *

 **The Plane**

Steve opened the door to the cockpit slowly, approaching the pilot's seat slowly. A voice had him pausing.

"Really?" Steve froze at the sound of her voice. "You decided knocking on the front door was the best plan?"

"What can I say?" Steve turned with a grin. "My strategist took the day off." His smile fell when he caught sight of her.

It was Dannie all right. But her face was pale and wan, and her usually thick hair was pulled tight out of her face. She was wearing a hydra uniform that oddly enough didn't have sleeves, but the costume made more sense when he caught sight of the black brace that wrapped around her left arm.

"I'm not the boss anymore." She chuckled weakly. "Someone else is giving the orders now."

"I understand." Steve said slowly.

"No you don't," She bit out, pointing her gun directly at his forehead.

Steve's brow furrowed, and Schmidt chuckled. "I believe you recognize my copilot?" He mocked. "She was much too valuable to leave downstairs. MUCH too valuable."

Steve understood what Schmidt was trying to say when Dannie grimaced.

"I guess he really did pick the wrong Marsh," Steve muttered.

Schmidt smiled and then snapped his fingers, and Marsh - Dannie, dropped the gun to charge Steve.

Dannie wasn't a skilled fighter like Steve, or even like Schmidt was.

But Steve remembered that Dannie had told him she had twelve brothers.

She fought like she had twelve brothers, which really just meant that she fought dirty.

And she was strong. Stronger than made sense, unless Schmidt's little experiments had finally paid off.

"You could have the power of gods yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations!" Schmidt spoke gleefully as he watched the two fight. "I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!"

"That's not my future," Steve retorted, and Bucky appeared from behind Schmidt's chair and leveled a gun at the man's head. Dannie paused in fighting Steve to whip a gun in Bucky's direction.

Schmidt chuckled and Bucky made a face. "Don't tell me THIS guy is the new boss."

"I wasn't really there for the interview process." Dannie admitted tightly. "Plus, the punishments for refusal to act are," Dannie rotated her left shoulder slowly, "Shocking." Dannie's hand began to shake, and sparks began to come from the black band around her arm. She gritted her teeth. Her gun lowered. "But it's so worth it."

Schmidts smile fell from his face. "I made you," He hissed.

"And I'm going to end you." Dannie retorted. She stormed towards Schmidt pulling him from his seat and to the floor, where she proceeded to smash his face into the floor.

All the while her arm band sparked and burned into her arm.

"Okay." Steve said after a moment. "I think he's dead."

"He's not." Dannie grunted. "I can still feel his essence. It's gross."

"Dannie." Bucky reached to touch her arm, and she growled, raising her arm to shoot the gun in her hand. Steve dodged out of the way, and the bullet hit the cube instead.

"Oops." Dannie dropped the gun, with a wince. "Sorry. I just feel all sorts of crazy right now."

"I bet." Steve smiled despite himself. "Hi."

"Hi." Dannie smiled back.

"Gross." Bucky said after a moment.

Dannie shot him a look, then moved towards the cube. "Somethings happening," She said, tilting her head.

"Don't touch it." Bucky warned as she got closer.

Dannie scoffed. "I'm not stupid. I'm not going to touch…it." Dannie paused as her hand closed around the cube.

"oops." She said again, and before the two men could move forward, the cube was sparking and and reacting, and in a rush of blue light, Dannie was swept away.

The two men covered their eyes, and when they looked back, the cube was sitting innocently on the floor of the plane…and Dannie was gone.

* * *

 **An Unscheduled Landing**

Bucky stared dumbly at where Dannie had just been standing.

"What the hell?"

Steve slammed the dash of the plane.

"Are you kidding me!" He slammed the dash a few more times.

"Captain, I hate to interrupt your hissy fit," Carter spoke over the planes communications system.

"I lost her!" Steve shook his head. "Again!"

"My condolences." Peggy said seriously. "What do you aim to do about the plane?"

Steve turned to look slowly at Bucky.

They both knew the options. And they knew what their decision would be.

"I'm with you." Bucky vowed.

"Till the end of the line." Steve finished. He smiled. "Looks like we have an unscheduled landing ahead of us." He informed Carter.

"Surely there's another option." Carter tried.

"There's not." It was Bucky that answered. "At least this way we're going together."

"And only two people die, instead of thousands." Steve added.

Peggy was silent. Then she pulled her trump card.

"What about the bosses orders?"

Steve chuckled lightly. "Boss aint here." He said after a moment.

"She wouldn't approve." Peggy added.

Steve was silent for a long moment. "Yes she would." He corrected. Then he turned off the comms and pushed the steering wheel of the plane all the way down.

Steve turned to Bucky, who stood a good ten feet away.

"Do I smell?" He asked dryly.

Bucky shook his head quickly.

"I'm making damn sure that when they unearth our bodies in a million years that we're not found spooning each other."

The comment was so unexpected, Steve burst out laughing.

And the plane hit the ice.

* * *

 **Naptime is Over**

Steve opened his eyes for a few moments, then turned his head.

Bucky was lying in a bed next to Steve's. His eyes were open, and he was watching Steve.

When he noticed that Steve was looking back, he grinned.

"We're not spooning." He informed. "You're welcome."

"We're alive." Steve said after a moment. "How?"

"Good question." Bucky sat up. "I don't have an answer."

"Of course you don't." Steve sat up as well, and swung his legs over the side of a bed. "Do you know where we are?"

"No clue." Bucky stood and began to pace the perimeter of the room. "Maybe it's the future?"

Steve snorted and threw his pillow at Bucky.

The pillow missed and hit the wall. The wall fell with a loud thud.

"Well." Bucky said after a moment. "The future really needs to work on their level of quality." Bucky and Steve moved forward to peer out the empty wall. A group of men with large weapons stood on the other side.

Bucky and Steve shared a look and then came to a mutual agreement…it was time to get out of there.

* * *

"At ease soldiers," Bucky and Steve whirled towards the voice, pausing in their escape plan, surprised at the sight of a black man in all black leather striding towards them. He looked perfectly harmless, so Steve and Bucky let the man approach them. He smiled apologetically.

"Look I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it would be best to break it to you slowly."

"Break what?" Steve questioned.

The man with the eyepatch sighed. "You two have been asleep. For 70 years."

Steve stared dumbly at the man, but Bucky took in the sight around them. "Well." He said brightly, clapping a hand to Steve's shoulder. "I guess naptime is over." He shot the man in front of him a look.

"Now let the nightmares begin."

* * *

 **Add one little character, and the whole movie gets all sorts of screwed up, doesn't it? Eh - I kinda like it!**

 **Review/Follow/Favorite**

 **~CLC~**


	3. Chapter 3

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer**

* * *

 **Shortcut**

Footsteps pounded loudly against the pavement. Sweat caused her clothes to cling to her body, making it harder to run…harder to keep up with the brothers running ahead of her.

As long as she could hear them, she was fine.

"Where are we? Make a mistake, did you?"

"This isn't," pant, "a mistake." Heavy panting. "It's a shortcut."

"Is it? We'll see about that won't we?"

"Shut up and run! You know if they catch us…we're dead!"

"Tell that to her! She's not even running!"

They were talking about her. Because she wasn't running anymore, she had stopped. She wasn't even moving.

This place felt very familiar to her…and nothing had felt familiar to her in a long time.

She must have said as much out loud because then a voice was hissing in her ear, "I promise, I will escort you back to this godforsaken realm so you can stand there like an idiot and stare at nothing for as long as you please. But for now…we need to keep MOVING."

She nodded, took one last look, and began to run again.

But she'd be back.

* * *

"Oddly enough, you could possibly be human."

She crinkled her brow. "I thought we vetoed that idea when you discovered that I didn't age."

The man at her side, wearing a long thick black coat and a deep green scarf, shrugged. "Perhaps you're an abnormal human."

"Hence why Earth feels so familiar to me…" She tilted her head. "Because it's my home."

The man at her side stopped walking. "Asgard is your home now."

She stopped walking as well and shot the man at her side a rueful smile. "Asgard has been wonderfully hospitable the last fifteen years, especially seeing as I appeared in your realm with no memory of who I was, and you and your family specifically, Loki, have been very gracious, granting me a place to stay and a job and a new life." She turned to look at the tall buildings around her, at all of the people…humans, walking around. "But as much as I've enjoyed that new life…I really just want my old life."

"But you know nothing about that life," Loki Laufeyson of Asgard shook his head. "It could have been horrible."

"But it was MY life, and I'll take it." She smiled.

Loki shook his head. "So that's it." He said flatly. "You're leaving me, then. For this." Loki grimaced at his surroundings.

* * *

And yes, compared to the magnificence that made up the realm of Asgard, Earth was horribly unkempt.

But she kind of liked it.

* * *

"I'm simply…relocating." She rephrased. When Loki didn't look appeased, she put one hand over her heart and held the other up. "I promise that I will return to Asgard whenever you require my presence…Loki I'm not leaving you." She shrugged. "I'm just trying to find myself."

Loki sighed heavily. Then he snickered. "Thor will be much harder to convince than myself," he mentioned.

She thought about Loki's older brother and his strange codependence on her since she'd accidentally appeared on Asgard, and she grimaced.

"You're right." She admitted. "But…does that mean you'll let me move? Here?"

Loki rolled his eyes. But then he nodded. "Only," He quickly held up a finger, "If you allow me to ensure you're not living in squalor."

"Deal!" She grinned. And because she couldn't help herself, she leaned forward and hugged the Asgardian that had been her best friend for the last fifteen years.

"There are some rules," Loki quickly spoke up. "And you do realize that not aging will dampen any relationships you make."

"I'll figure it out." She promised.

"And you'll need a name." He added. "We cannot just keep calling you pronouns or "The Advisor,"

"Name, got it." She nodded, a large grin overtaking her usually serious demeanor. Loki had never seen her look so happy, not in the fifteen years he'd known her.

And just like that, Loki caved.

* * *

"I do not like this." Thor's arms were crossed and his gaze was stormy, and Loki didn't look all that thrilled either, but she bounced on the seat of the limo excitedly.

"Pretend you like it for my benefit," she ordered.

Thor huffed and rolled his eyes, uncrossing his arms to pull her towards him, nestled into his side with his arm around her shoulders. "Cease with the movement." He ordered, "And then I will pretend."

She smiled up at the tall man, then settled down.

"Have you decided on a name?" Loki asked, and she smiled.

"Yes." She nodded.

"And?" Thor asked slowly.

"Grace." She smiled.

Loki and Thor thought about it.

"It's not horrible." Loki finally relented.

"But why Grace?" Thor prodded.

"For the same reason I'm moving to earth." She answered promptly. "Because it feels familiar."

The limo they were in began to slow, and "Grace" scrambled to the window. "Are we here then?"

"Yes."

Grace looked out the window then turned to glare at Loki. "Are you kidding me?"

"You promised I could pick your accommodations," He argued. "This is the best I could find."

Grace shook her head, jumped out of the vehicle, and inspected her new home that Loki had chosen for her.

"It's got seven bedrooms." She said flatly.

"So adopt some strays." Loki retorted.

Grace tilted her head.

"That was a joke." Loki pointed out, but Grace started to smile.

"Well your joke sounded an awful lot like a good idea." She pushed the two men in her foyer towards the front door. "thanks for the house, and the furniture, and the exorbitant amount of money you probably spent on everything that you also probably stole, but go away now."

"Wait!" Thor pulled the newly named Grace close, into a tight hug. "It will not be the same with you not close by."

"You'll be fine," Grace assured, though she hugged him back just as tightly. When Thor released her, she turned to Loki.

"It is not as if we'll never see you again," He sniffed, and she rolled her eyes.

"Just hug me you jerk," She ordered, and Loki rolled his eyes, but he hugged her.

And Grace Miller, human, settled into life on Earth.

* * *

 **Hold Me Back**

 **May, 2012**

"Okay ladies, listen up." Grace Miller stood at the head of the dining room table, staring sternly at the five teenagers eating breakfast. "I'm being forced to attend some stupid event, and I'll be out of the office till probably tomorrow afternoon, which means,"

"Party!" One of the younger girls raised a fist.

"Wrong, Quinnie." One of the older girls threw a piece of toast. "Ma's leaving Jordy in charge, so we'll be stuck eating lasagna and watching some dumb chick flick all night." She flicked blonde bangs out of her face and smiled down the table.

Seated at the opposite end, textbook open, the oldest teen at the table rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry that my evening plans are so boring to you, Rory, but, one, being a college sophomore equals horrible amounts of homework,"

"Not if you skip college to become an actress," Rory muttered, but Jordy ignored the blonde only a year younger than her to continue speaking,

"And two; you know if we tried anything more fun, Ma would tan our hides."

"Exactly." Grace grinned. "Plus, Abby and Milly agreed to make you guys dinner once they got off work, so you're welcome."

"Yes, no lasagna!"

"Shut up, Kate!" Jordy didn't throw a piece of toast, because Kate was the youngest at the table and the girls were nicest to her. "You love my lasagna."

"But not every night." Kate huffed.

"Right, settle girls." Grace rolled her eyes. "Now, today's agenda includes Quinnie and Kate getting done with middle school at three: Jordy, you're in charge of pick-up, so you'll take the SUV today. Rory has softball practice and Sammie," Grace turned to the only teen who hadn't spoken up at the table, her nose stuck in a book, "has to work on her junior English project, so they'll get the sedan keys today." Grace threw the keys at Sammie, who didn't look up but caught the keys in one hand. And on your way home Sammie, you have to pick up Ellie at six from Tae-Kwon-Do, which…ELLIE!"

"Yeah?" A voice called out.

"You've got a ride from the high school to kick butt class, right?"

"Yep!"

Grace paused. "You gonna come eat breakfast?"

"…Nope!"

"Even zombie killers need breakfast!" Grace tried.

A loud sigh. Then… "Fine." The last teen joined the rest of the girls at the table.

"White people," she muttered her breath, "and their strange obsession with breakfast."

Grace rolled her eyes. "One: I'm brown, and Quinn isn't exactly white either,"

Quinnie raised a fist, her mouth full of toast, "And two," Grace continued, "Breakfast is necessary. So…eat it." Ellie sighed but began to fill her plate and Grace smiled at the table.

"Hopefully this thing doesn't run too long, but with these guys," She shrugged. "One never knows."

"What is it again?" Sammy looked up from the book she was reading. The rest of the girls seemed interested as well, and Grace grinned.

"It's a coronation…Uncle Thor is going to be King today." Grace's smile tightened, and she shrugged. "Well…maybe."

* * *

"It's not going to work."

The first words out of Grace's mouth did nothing to soothe the anxiety Loki felt.

"And worse," Grace continued, "We're going to get caught. This was a terrible idea."

Loki huffed. "And it's too late now. You just went in and saw him?" Grace nodded, her hands playing nervously with the folds of her dress. "How is he?"

"He's excited. He thinks he's ready." Loki shook his head.

"Well, then," He said lowly, "Let's hope this terrible plan of ours works."

* * *

Thor was not crowned that day.

The Jotun that attacked kind of ruined it for him.

And the future king of Asgard was so furious that he walked blindly into a confrontation on the jotun's home turf, dragging his friends and family with him.

The resulting battle was his fault, cause due to his anger, to his inability to control himself.

Grace, the only human who had accompanied Thor and fought when the battle began to wage, was outmatched by the giants, and she was gravely injured.

Thor was grounded, Loki was reeling from discoveries he'd made, and Grace, the only person in 70 years capable of keeping Loki from totally losing it and Thor from making poor decisions…was in a deep sleep, healing from her wounds.

Frigga watched the situation unfold very closely, and only when she believed that there was no other option, she woke Grace up.

* * *

 **Family Matters**

"Are you out of your mind?"

Loki hated himself for the way he jerked at the sound of Grace's voice.

He hated himself even more for the way he ducked his head like a small child being chastened.

Except…he was being chastened.

"The Destroyer? Really? You know very well that Thor is incapable of fighting that thing as a human."

"And?" Loki tilted his head. "That's the point."

Grace crossed her arms. "Thor is still going to try though, which will probably fufill whatever requirements he needs to in order to come back here, so in about twenty minutes, give or take, he's going to be back up here, at full power, and looking to hit something." Grace raised an eyebrow.

Loki made a face.

"I…had not thought this through." He admitted.

"Obviously." Grace rolled her eyes. "What's with the dramatics anyway?"

Loki leaned forward. He'd been waiting since he'd found out to tell her. "I'm adopted."

"What?"

"I'm not even Asgardian!" Loki threw up his hands. "I'm a frost giant!"

"No!" Grace sounded properly aghast, and Loki continued.

"Odin took me after the last war with the jotuns, and he never told me! He lied to me! And you know very well he would've never let a frost giant on the throne! My entire life has been a lie, and everything I've fought for has been for nothing." Loki laughed harshly. "I'm not going to give up. If they're not going to give me a chance, I'm going to take it."

Grace narrowed her eyes. "that didn't work out so well for hitler."

"Who?" The strange name had Loki falling out of his funk.

Grace made a face. "Midgardian History, God Loki, read a book sometime. Anyway, not the point!" She shook her head. "Loki. This is a bad idea."

"How?" Loki demanded. "Look where I am!" He gestured to the chair he sat in, which was the throne.

"And when Odin gets back? And Thor shows up?" Grace shook her head. "Yeah, you're going to be grounded for centuries. Do you want to know what I think you should do?"

"What?" Loki crossed his arms.

"You talk to your brother." Loki growled at that, and Grace laughed. "I know, it sounds like torture, but if you tell him why you're freaking out, what you know, he'll understand. He'll forgive you. And when Thor is ready, and he's a few steps closer now, and he takes the throne, it will be with you by his side."

Grace shrugged. "Thor is a great man. But his weaknesses are your strengths, and Asgard needs both of you. Apologize to your brother, take your punishment, and give it time. And forget Odin. He's a rat, but he won't be in charge for much longer. And Frigga adores you. You may not be your father's son…but you are very much your mothers."

Loki grimaced…but he knew that Grace was right, and he sighed. "fine."

Grace smiled, and had the two angry men that stormed in moments later given her a chance to explain, everything would've been…fine.

But Odin came in roaring and Thor came in thundering and Loki immediately bristled and Grace was banished from the room and the resulting scuffle resorted in Loki falling off the rainbow bridge.

The two men walked back to where Grace had been banished, eyes downcast.

"Good job." Grace shook her head. "Brilliant."

Thor opened his mouth, but she shot him a glare so lethal that he lost his voice.

"I have to go. I've been away too long already, but," She pointed a finger at Thor, "Get ahold of me IMMEDIATELY when you find him."

Thor shook his head. "I…do not think he could've survived that fall…"

Grace snorted "Of course he could've! The same thing happened to me, and I'm just fine! Now…find him!" She ordered before disappearing.

Thor furrowed his brow, then shot a look at his father…then he went and did as Grace bid.

And less than a week later…he found him.

But Grace would NOT be happy at what he was up to.

* * *

 **Road Trip**

"Ma, your phone is ringing!" Grace paused, a large pile of clothes in her hands.

"Give me a sec!" She called out, throwing the clothes into the washer and slamming the door shut. She hurried up the stairs to where her phone was plugged in in the kitchen, and slapped the phone to her ear when she realized who was calling.

"Did you find him then?"

The TV in the family room shut off immediately, and three heads poked over the back of the couch.

"It's not good." Thor started off, and Grace's heart sank. It continued to do so as Thor quickly filled her in.

"I'm going to get him now," Thor finished up.

"Back up a second." Grace shook her head. "It might not be that easy. There's a decent sized group of people that I've heard about who might try and stop you."

"Humans?" Thor scoffed. "They are no match for me."

"Eh…" Grace made a face. "From what I've heard…they might be. Do what you gotta do, Thor," Grace advised, straightening as she thought of a plan. "I gotta check something out."

Grace hung up the phone, then shot her girls a smile.

"We got a job then?" Jordy put down her textbook and started piling her long dark hair onto her head.

"Yes, but this is an intel gig, which means Elly, Quinn and Kate are going to Abby and Milly's.

The younger girls groaned.

"Jordy, go get Sammy and Rory. I've gotta call both sides, then we'll go from there." Jordy nodded and hurried up the stairs, and Grace turned back to her phone.

* * *

"Charlotte, hey, it's Mom." Grace began quickly. "Chloe is on the other line."

"Hey Char," A bright voice piped up.

"Hi ma, Chloe. What's up?"

"Uncle Thor found uncle Loki, but it doesn't look good. Both sides actually might be involved. Has anything interesting happened on either end?"

"Actually yeah, at least on the evil end. Some unknown guy is recruiting a mini army to attack Shield and some group called The Avengers that I've never heard of. You want me to get in on it?" The voice paused. "Wait. Is the unknown guy Uncle Loki?"

"I hope not, but like I said, it's not looking good. So yes, I would like you to get in on it, but do not engage. Can you fake credentials for Jordy? Uncle Loki hasn't met her yet, and I'd like more eyes on your side."

"No problem. I'll be by to get her in twenty."

"And, actually, we just went active on something called the Avengers Initiative just a few days ago." Charlotte spoke up. "It sounds like it's some kind of superhero first responder team. They've got some interesting…recruits, that's for sure."

"Can you get me the file?" Grace asked.

"Yep. The director is also designating a group to join him on a helicarrier, for a mission unknown. I can get myself and another on that helicarrier."

"Do that." Grace advised. "I'll have Rory go up with you. I might need to make an unscheduled visit as well, but I still have my creds. I'll just need Sammy in the control room to give me flight clearance."

"Understood. ETA 25."

"SO all I have to do is sit at a computer and then authorize your flight?" Sammy grinned, joining Grace at the kitchen island. "Best gig ever."

"What are we doing?" Jordan and Rory appeared next.

All three girls wore black from head to toe, their hair was pulled back, and they had black bags in one hand.

"Jordan, you're going dark with Chloe, ETA 15 minutes. Rory, you're on light duty with Charlotte. Dark side is on a Do Not Engage, Intel only. Light needs to focus on gauging this new initiative and its recruits. You might see Uncle Thor, but he's also a DNE. Got it?" The three girls nodded, and Grace took a deep breath.

"Okay. Our mission is to find Loki, figure out his plan, and see how we can stop it and get him home without getting him in more trouble with this planet."

"What's wrong with Uncle Loki?" Quinn and Kate shared worried looks.

"I don't know." Grace admitted. "But I'm going to find out."

She grabbed a set of car keys, told Elly she was in charge of Quinn and Kate until Abby and Milly got there, then nodded at the other three.

Loki's problem was that he always thought he was fighting the entire universe alone.

But he wasn't. He DEFINITELY wasn't. And Grace was going to prove it to him.

* * *

 **Meeting Crasher**

"In case it's unclear…you try to escape? You so much as scratch that glass…" Loki looked down through the glass floor he stood on to see the ground beneath it retract, revealing the stormy sky and a fatal drop. "30,000 feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Director Fury snapped. He pressed the button again, and the floor came together once more.

"He looks sick." Charlotte stood behind Grace's chair, watching the video feed in front of her.

"Yeah." Grace agreed quietly. "Something's REALLY wrong."

The two listened as Fury and Loki continued to banter.

"He's being a dick right now." Rory made a face. "It's like it's not even him."

"Something like that," Grace admitted, eyes narrowed as she took in her best friend. She pushed her chair back and stood quickly. She shot her girls a grin. "Time for my grand entrance…stand by."

"Good luck," Charlotte said dryly. Grace winked and hurried out of the room.

* * *

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Dr. Bruce Banner broke the silence with a joke.

"Like a fungus," Bucky muttered.

"So." Steve turned quickly to business, facing Thor, who stood pensieve in front of the table Steve and the other "Avengers" sat. "Loki's going to drag this out. Thor," Steve addressed the man. "What's his play?"

Thor spoke slowly. "He has an army called the Chitauri. They are not from this world, nor from any world known. They will win him the earth, in return I suspect, for the tesseract.

"An army." Steve said dryly. "From outer space." He shared a look with Bucky, who looked like he thought this was hilarious.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Eric Selvig for." Banner spoke up. Thor started.

"Selvig?" He repeated.

'He's an astrophysicist." The doctor clarified.

Thor tilted his head. "He's a friend."

"Ha! You don't have friends."

The comment came from one of the Shield Agents that was working just outside the bullpen. The comment was said just loudly enough to catch everyone's attention, but none of the Shield agents seemed to be paying any attention to them, so after a moment, everyone turned back to the problem at hand.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell." Romanoff informed. Her gaze shot away and her voice lowered. "Along with one of ours."

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him." Steve spoke up.

"He's not leading an army from here." Bucky nodded in agreement.

"I wouldn't focus on Loki." Banner snorted. "That guy's brain is a bag full of cats…you can smell crazy on him."

"Have care how you speak," Thor warned. "Loki is beyond reason but be but he is of Asgard…and he's my brother."

"He killed 80 people in two days." Romanoff retorted dryly.

Thor winced. "He's adopted."

"HARSH."

The comment came from a Shield Agent, but no one could identify who it came from. Thor growled and sent a threatening look to all of them to be safe, then turned back to listen to Bruce,

"I think it's about the mechanics. Irridium, what does he need the iridium for?"

"It's a stabilizing agent." Tony Stark entered the room, answering Bruce's question then turning to the man at his side to continue the conversation. Once the man nodded and stepped away, Tony turned back to the group, his eyes lighting first on Thor.

"It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at Shield." Tony finished his thought, then patted Thor's arm. "No hard feelings point break, you've got a mean swing." Before Thor could get a word in edgewise, he switched back to science. "Also it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long as Loki wants." He moved to where the main screens were. He muttered a few ship commands, earning him confused looks from the agents, and a snicker from a woman in the far right corner.

"That man is playing galaga." He suddenly blurted out, pointing a finger at the culprit. "He thought we wouldn't notice…but we did." He turned back to the main screens, head tilted.

"How does Fury see these things?" He asked.

"He turns." Maria Hill answered dryly.

"Sounds exhausting." Tony turned away from the screens to look at the group.

"The rest of the raw materials agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he needs is a power source. Of high energy density. Something to kick start the cube." He switched back to science, and Banner nodded thoughtfully.

"When did you become an expert on thermonuclear astrophysics?" Maria called him out.

"Last night." Tony retorted quickly. "The packet. Selvigs extraction theory notes." He raised his arms exasperated. "Am I the only one who did the reading?

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve interrupted Tony, eyebrow raised.

"He'd have to heat the cube to 120 million kelvin, just to break through the colomb barrier." Bruce mused.

"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum fusion effect." Tony spoke up, eyes lighting up.

"Well if he could do that then he could achieve heavy fusion at any reactor on the planet." Bruce shrugged, and Tony grinned, moving towards the man.

"Finally. Someone who speaks English." He beamed.

"Is that what just happened?" Steve looked at Bucky, who shook his head and grinned.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner." Tony shook Bruce's hand. "You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled." He complimented. "And I'm also a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." Bruce smiled, confused, but before he could say anything, the man in charge was striding in, already speaking.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube." Director Fury shot Tony a look. "I was hoping you would join him."

"I would start with that stick of his." Steve advised. "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a hydra weapon." Bucky nodded.

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube." Fury admitted. "And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest people I know into his personal flying monkeys."

"monkeys? I do not understand," Thor spoke up, eyebrows furrowed, and Steve snapped his fingers.

"I do." He said quickly. "I understood that reference."

"It's a movie." The Shield agent who'd been commenting rose and made her way forwards. "It's a classic, actually. We should watch it some time." The agent patted Thor's arm.

Romanoff's gaze had shot to Fury when the woman stood, and Fury's eye had locked onto her as she strode forward. Bruce and Tony watched her approach curiously. Bucky and Steve had shot up, eyes wide and mouths open in shock. Thor had huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Fury said lightly. "Who the hell are you?"

The woman's eyes widened. "Oh right." She pointed to Thor. "I'm with him." Thor nodded and smiled. Fury crossed his arms.

"Now's not the time for visitors." Fury said coldly, and the woman laughed.

"No, you're right," she agreed. "But actually, I'm here to do your job for you."

"Perfect." Fury stepped away, hands raised. "I guess I'll take that vacation then."

"She would be a great asset," Thor spoke up. "She knows Loki better than any of us." Fury narrowed his eye, looking her over.

"You're his girlfriend then?" Romanoff stood.

"More like," The woman tilted her head. "His unwanted adopted little sister." She turned to Fury. "My story is unimportant right now, and honestly, I don't know all that much. I lost my memory a long time ago and I still haven't found it. But I've known Loki for almost 70 years, and that," She pointed to the video feed, where Loki paced his cage slowly. "That's not Loki."

"Really?" Tony snorted. "Big Guy? That look like your brother to you?"

"Loki has about as much control over himself right now as your little friends do." She snapped. "You give me five minutes, and let me speak with him, and we could end this now. I can give you a location, the cure for your little friend," She pointed at Romanoff.

"He has a name." Romanoff snapped. "Agent Barton is one of the best, and your little friend is responsible for where he is now."

"Loki's not responsible for anything right now," The woman retorted. "His strings are in someone else's hands and Loki doesn't even realize it! Wait…" The woman's eyes widened. "Did you say barton?"

Romanoff shot a look at Fury. Then she nodded. "Yes."

"First name Clint?" She leaned back, as if worried to hear the answer. Romanoff shot another look at Fury, and the woman groaned.

"Well this is perfect!" She turned to Fury.

"Let me talk to him." She ordered.

Fury tilted his head and thought for a long moment.

"No." He said finally. "We know what we're doing. But," Fury shot Thor a look. "You can stick around, just in case we have need of you."

"Stick around?" Grace snorted. "In case?" She shook her head. "you're going to ruin everything and you know it, and you want me to sit in a corner and say nothing while your people try to figure out who I am and your little band of superheroes go digging into your secrets. But fine." She moved towards the computer she'd been sitting at. "I'll be over here if you need me." She shot Tony a look. "Beating that other guy at Galaga."

Tony snorted. Fury shot Coulson a look, and the man nodded and hurried away. Romanoff shot Grace a dark glare, then moved away to take care of her own business. Tony huffed, then turned to Banner.

"Shall we play doctor?" He asked as the drama concluded.

"This way," Bruce answered with a smile, and the two men exited.

Thor made his way to where Grace sat, crouching down to speak lightly with her, and Steve and Bucky moved quickly to Fury.

"Do you know who she is?" Steve blurt out, not waiting for Fury to acknowledge him.

"Not a clue." Fury admitted. Then he took a good long at Steve, then Bucky. "But something tells me you do."

Steve leaned forward. "Look up a name. Danielle Marsh, Sergeant of the 107th. She was also employed by the USO…" Steve raised an eyebrow, "In 1943."

Fury shook his head. "You mean to tell me," He said slowly, "There there's another one of you?"

"Not exactly." Bucky admitted. "She's…kind of a class all her own." Fury huffed, but then nodded.

"I'll look into it." He agreed. "But for now," He pointed a finger at them men. "Focus on the mission at hand. She's not important, and you have a job to do. Understand?"

Steve looked over at where Grace, no DANNIE, sat leaning over to speak lowly to Thor, who was crouched in front of her chair and nodded. Suddenly he laughed, and a bright smile grew on Dannie's face.

Steve's heart clenched, and he forced himself to turn to Fury.

Fury raised an eyebrow.

"I understand." He said tightly.

* * *

 **Mind Trip**

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Grace stormed into the room, hands on her hips. "They send YOU to talk to him, but not me?" She pointed accusingly at Romanoff. She threw her hands up in the air and turned to Fury. "Really?"

Fury shrugged. "She got what we needed." He argued. Grace raised an eyebrow.

"So what's his play?" She interrogated.

Romanoff shot a look at Banner, who'd gently set down the scepter and had retreated to the corner of the room.

"Please." Grace snorted. "He's going to try and rile up the biggest threat on the plane?" She shook her head. "That's juvenile. There's more to it." She paused. "Wait a second. Are you guys fighting?"

She looked around the room, finally taking in the heavy breathing and angry faces. She smirked. "Your little dream team splitting at the seams already?" She turned back to Fury.

"His end goal isn't green. It's," She shook her head slowly. "It's this. And guess what?" She looked at Fury. "He's winning… So can I talk to him now?" She asked sweetly.

And before Fury could answer, an explosion rocked the ship and everyone went flying.

Grace found herself feet from Fury, and jumped up quickly to help the man sit up.

"Hill?" He questioned, and Hill's voice answered immediately.

"External Detonation." She reported. "Number three engine is down." She snapped out a few orders, and spoke quickly to her team, then her voice said worriedly, "If we lose one more engine we won't be."

"Somebody's got to get outside and patch that engine," she reported. Fury breathed heavily, and Grace stood at his side, waiting patiently for orders.

"Stark, you copy that?" He ordered.

"I'm on it." Tony announced.

"Coulson, initiate defensive lockdown," Fury began, but then his eyes drifted to Grace…who still patiently waited.

"Disregard that order." He said quickly. He shot Grace a look.

"He's to remain contained and aboard this ship." Fury demanded.

Grace nodded, and then hurried away.

Fury watched her for a moment, then he went quickly back to snapping orders.

* * *

Grace reached Loki's cell, where she quickly strode forward, head bent low, and began to work at the controls. She released him quickly.

"I don't recognize you." Loki said smoothly. Grace jerked her head up and made eye contact, and she pointed a gun directly at his chest. He froze and slowly raised his hands. Then he smirked.

"Loki you little shit!" She snapped, and Grace watched as Loki's eyes flickered from an intense blue to its normal green. The green lasted less than a moment, and then swirled back into blue.

"Not one of mine," He mused, "and yet you release me." He shook his head. "Amusing...but unfortunately I don't have time for this." Loki's body flickered, and because she knew him so well, she knew what that meant, and she turned quickly. She didn't move quickly enough, and Loki was suddenly on the other side of her, stabbing his scepter into her side.

She grunted, more in surprise than pain, and then shook her head.

"That's it!" She took the few steps necessary to be right in front of Loki and placed a hand against his forehead. She closed her eyes, and then pulled. Loki tried to rabbit again, but it was too late, and Loki's eyes flashed as he screamed, and then fell to the ground, panting harshly.

Grace's chest heaved, and she shook her head slowly.

"Loki?" She asked after a moment.

Loki panted a few more times, then slowly rose. He straightened his clothing, picked up his scepter, then finally looked at Grace.

His face was exasperated. "What," he said slowly, "is going on?"

Grace grinned. "No time to explain," She said quickly, "I need you to diffuse a bomb!" And she grabbed Loki's hand and dragged him off. Loki followed dutifully behind, eyes wide as he took in the sights and sounds around him.

* * *

"Target engaged." The plane outside informed. "Wait…what?"

He stared in shock as The hulk approached what was most likely Thor's limp body. But then the hulk stopped…and then…

"Target is glowing." The pilot announced."

"What?"

"Target is shrinking." He continued, awestruck.

"The hulk is transforming back into Banner?" Hill clarified.

"Dr. Banner has replaced the target." The pilot confirmed.

"All right then." Maria said after a moment. "Disregard the last order. Back to base."

Thor watched silently as Loki quickly managed to return Dr. Banner back to his human form. Grace shot him a smile.

"Told you I could do it." She grinned.

"He's back then?" Thor asked.

Loki turned to his brother. He sneered. "You doubt Grace's abilities?" He sniffed and turned away. "Idiot."

Yup. Thor grinned. That was his brother. He smiled at Grace and then rose, heading towards Dr. Banner.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"What…happened?" He asked slowly.

"My brother has been returned to his right mind," Thor answered quickly. "And his first task once he returned to sanity was to return you to your right mind."

Bruce squinted up at Loki. Loki looked down at him and shrugged.

"Uh…okay then." Bruce began to rise and Grace turned quickly.

"You're naked!" She told him, and Loki waved a hand, pants and a shirt appearing on his body.

"Thanks." Bruce looked thoroughly confused at the thought of having to thank the man that was supposedly trying to kill them all. "So…you were being mind controlled then?"

Loki turned to Grace. She shrugged. "I suppose so." Loki admitted after a moment. "Where am I, exactly?"

Bruce's eyes sharpened. "You mean you don't remember anything?"

"Not since my brother pushed my off my realm," Loki glared at Thor, then turned back to Bruce. "Why?"

"Because you're right in the middle of trying to wage war against Earth, and in a few hours some science mechanism is going to open a portal, allowing some alien army you've acquired to enter and attack and destroy everything."

"Oh." Loki's eyes widened. "Well…that is an unfortunate thing to remember." He admitted.

"Fury's not going to be happy." Bruce looked at Grace, and she shrugged.

"At least he's on our side now!" She argued.

"Yeah." Bruce snorted. "Try explaining that to the guy who's ship just got banged up, the leader of which is probably one of his own guys who's also been mind-controlled.

"Oh!" Grace's eyes widened and she grabbed Loki's hand. "I forgot about Barton!" She dragged Loki off once more.

Thor and Bruce shared a look. "No more cats." Bruce said after a moment. "He doesn't smell so crazy anymore."

Thor smiled. "Unfortunately, those truths do not make him much more pleasant to be around." He wrapped an arm around Banner. "Let us go find if we may be of help elsewhere."

* * *

Tasha fought Barton as hard as she could, sliding through the pipes and avoiding the knife in his hand. She slid away from him, waiting for him to follow. Then she heard a loud thunk.

"You could've been a little nicer about it." It was that strange friend of Thor's Tasha recognized.

"You weren't." The sullen voice was Loki's.

Tasha jumped out, and the two froze, Loki with both his arms under Clint's armpits, Grace crouched down and gently patting his face.

"It's not what it looks like," Grace tried, but Tasha stormed forward, only pausing at Clint's groan.

Grace immediately turned her gaze back to Clint, whose eyelids blinked open slowly.

"Grace?" He muttered after a moment. Grace smiled.

"Yep. What's the last thing you remember?" She asked.

Clint stared at her blankly for a moment. "Boom." He said dumbly. Grace chuckled and stood, helping Loki pull Clint into an upright position.

"Sounds about right." She said dryly. Clint took a moment to get his balance, then he turned. He stared hard at Loki, who grimaced.

"Sup." He said finally.

"Clint." Loki greeted after a moment.

"Barton." Tasha interrupted…whatever was happening in front of her. Clint smiled sheepishly at his best friend.

"Tash. To be entirely honest…I have no idea what's going on."

Loki and Grace watched Romanoff nervously, and after a moment, she shook her head.

"Neither do I." She agreed. "Let's just get Fury…so we can get to the bottom of this."

Clint nodded slowly, and the group moved quickly to find the boss.

As they walked, Loki leaned over to Clint. "I may or may not have put you under mild mind control and forced you to fight your coworkers."

"What?" Clint shoved Loki. "You little shit!"

"I was out of my mind when I did this!" Loki spoke up quickly. "I am a victim as well."

"Like hell!" Clint shoved Loki again. "What's wrong with you!"

Tasha rolled her eyes as she listened to her partner bicker with the alien as if they were friends. Loki was the enemy, mind controlled or no. She just wasn't going to act until she had orders to. Which is why she was taking the villain to Fury.

* * *

 **What a Show**

"What the hell?" Tony, Steve, and Bucky shot upright when Loki entered the room.

"He's really nice now!" Grace jumped in front of Loki and held out her hands.

"Like Hell." Tony snorted. "He's the bad guy!"

"He reigned in the hulk." Bruce spoke up. Tony shot him a surprised look. Bruce shrugged. "he didn't have to…and he did."

"He was being mind controlled." Grace added. "I was right. And I told you I could fix him." She made a face at Fury. "I was also right. Loki is no longer the threat."

"Oh?" Fury crossed his arms. "Why should I believe you?"

"Hey!" Loki pointed his scepter at Fury, and everyone pointed a gun at him. Grace snatched Loki's scepter from him and he raised his hands, eyes rolling. "I tamed your beast for you." He pointed out. "Usually, thanks are in order."

"Thanks." Fury said dryly. "Now get back in your cage."

"Hey!" Clint raised a hand. "he did also fix me up too." He hit the side of his head lightly. "I'm all normal now."

"Did he?" Fury looked to Tasha, who rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't say you're normal," She raised an eyebrow at Clint, who stuck his tongue out at her. "But," she shrugged at Fury. "Loki did reverse the mind control."

"Thor?" Fury asked for a third opinion.

Thor hesitated. "My brother is in his right mind," he admitted. "or what's left of it."

Loki rolled his eyes.

"I do not believe he is the threat anymore."

"BUT," Tony stepped forward. "We still have a portal planning to unleash an alien army on us." Tony crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Unless Mr. Nice Guy already took care of that part for us too."

Grace grimaced, and Loki shook his head. "Unfortunately, I do not remember anything I planned to execute under the influence of the mind gem." Loki shrugged. "My apologies."

"Perfect." Steve rolled his eyes. "So now what?"

"I know where the portal is going to open." Bruce stepped forward. "I got the coordinates right before Barton set off the bomb."

"I did what?" Barton made a face. "Whoops."

Bruce shook his head. "Stark Tower." He announced.

"You were going to open a portal on top of my house?" Tony shook his head. "That's rude."

Loki shrugged.

"So…" Steve looked at the group. "We know where the portal's going to be. Let's make a plan."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"Go ahead Cap." Tony crossed his arms. "What's the plan?"

Steve tilted his head, then he smiled.

"Selvig designed the portal. He'll be the one setting it up. If we can get to him and reverse the mind control, maybe he could tell us how to shut it down."

"Not if he doesn't remember." Tasha spoke up.

"Even if he doesn't remember, the man is brilliant enough that it shouldn't take him more than a few minutes to figure out the logistics and find a way to kill it." Tony spoke up. "Only thing is, we gotta let one of these crazies," he pointed to Loki and Grace, "Close enough to the doc to do whatever it is they do."

"And I don't trust either of them." Tasha crossed her arms.

"That one…" Fury jerked his head towards Grace. "I trust a little more." Grace smiled, surprised.

Steve was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. "Thor, you get her to the tower. Watch her back, and as soon as she's gotten to Selvig, get her out of there. Chances are we'll have to stall to give the man time to find the off switch. In that case, we'll be the bait. Let's keep to a six block radius and keep the fight focused on us. If the aliens are fighting us, they can't hurt the civilians. Stark, stick to the skies. Let's get Barton to a roof the second we reach the fight zone. Everyone else, let's keep the streets occupied." The others nodded quickly, accepting the plan. You've got ten minutes." He shook his head. "Suit Up." Dismissed, the rest of the room hurried away.

"Loki…" Grace turned to the tall man. She shot him a wink when no one was looking. "Go home." She demanded.

"Yes." Fury said dryly. "Before you can pay for your crimes in Germany."

Loki furrowed his brow. "What did I do in Germany?" He asked.

Grace shook her head. "We'll talk about it later," She promised. "Just get out of here." Loki raised an eyebrow at Fury. Fury huffed and turned away, and a moment later, Loki was gone.

Grace moved to Thor's side, and she shot Steve a bright smile. "We're ready when you are Cap."

Steve nodded quickly, then strode out of the room.

"Uh…move out?" Bucky said slowly, before following after his best friend.

"Was it something I said?" She asked worriedly.

"Worry about it later." Fury said briskly. "Go save my planet."

"Sir yes sir!" Grace saluted, then hurried out of the room, Thor on her heels.

She had a planet to help save.

* * *

Grace's part was done relatively quickly. She pressed a hand to Selvig's forehead, pulled, and waited while Selvig returned to himself. Then she relayed the message, left him to putter with his portal, and allowed Thor to whisk her home.

She found her girls, the younger ones, Quinn, Elliot and Kate, seated on the floor, the older sisters, Sammy, Rory and Jordy taking up the couch, along with a few other tagalongs: Chloe, Charlotte, Abby, and Milly. They all watched the news avidly, which broadcasted the Avengers fight. The news had little information…but they did have visuals, and Grace's group could fill in the rest.

"They had to stall then." Loki said from where he sat in the armchair. Grace rolled her eyes and joined him in the extra-large chair.

"Looks like."

"Corporate Shield sent out a missile." Charlotte informed, her mouth filled with popcorn. "They're waiting to close the portal until they can stick the thing where the sun don't shine."

"Gross!" Kate wrinkled her nose.

"But accurate." Chloe agreed. "Looks like Stark's taking it up."

"Is he gonna come back out?" Quinn leaned forward.

"He'll be fine." Grace promised, settling in as she watched the Avengers save the day.

The girls clapped and cheered when the portal closed, went deathly silent as Stark fell from the sky, then cheered once more as his eyes opened and the team of superheroes surrounding him slumped in relief.

"Wow." Jordy shook her head. "that was better than any movie!"

"I'll be sure to become mind-controlled again, specifically for your viewing pleasure," Loki said dryly.

"No!" Grace's eyes widened. "Never again."

"Yeah Uncle Loki." Kate leaned over the arm of the chair to hug Loki's neck tightly. "I'd miss you too much."

"Yeah, Uncle Loki." Grace teased quietly as the girls stood and began to disperse.

"It is your fault they are so attached to me," Loki accused. "Now I have to be a role model and I never to get to have any fun."

"You thought this was fun?" Grace scoffed. "This was stressful."

"What? After you made so many new friends?" Loki teased. Grace's gaze turned thoughtful.

"Well," She said after a moment, "Cap, and his friend?"

"What about them?" Loki asked slowly.

"I dunno." Grace furrowed her brow. "They just seemed…familiar." She shook her head and jumped up.

"But that's crazy!" She laughed. "It's been 70 years, why would my memory start coming back now?!" She hurried to the kitchen. Loki turned to the TV, where clips of the Captain and his best friend were playing.

"Why indeed?" Loki murmured.

* * *

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **~CLC~**


	4. Chapter 4

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer**

* * *

 **Am I interrupting?**

Bucky and Steve passed the neighbor right as she was leaving her apartment. Bucky wiggled his eyebrows, and Steve shook his head. Bucky nudged Steve, and Steve mouthed the word no emphatically, but Bucky just stared at his best friend until he relented. He turned to the nurse and did his best, but he'd never been very good at the whole…thing.

Well except for with Dannie.

But that was different.

Because it was DANNIE.

Steve did his best though, which was a lot harder with Bucky shoving his shoulder.

"What?" Steve finally snapped.

Bucky tilted his head, and Steve turned to see…

Dannie.

Standing just behind his neighbor, dressed casually and smiling awkwardly.

Great. She'd probably heard everything.

"Hey." He said dumbly.

"Hi." She greeted. "I'm sorry…am I interrupting?" She asked hesitantly.

"No." Steve shook his head quickly. "NO, you're not interrupting," He shot his neighbor a panicked look. "NOTHING, there's nothing,"

"Scale it back, Rogers," Bucky muttered, and Steve cut himself off. Dannie smiled slowly.

"Uh, okay. Listen," She shot Steve and Bucky's neighbor a look. "I just wanted to talk to you about a few things that I…know."

"Information?" Steve clarified. "You know things?"

"Yes." Dannie nodded her head meaningfully. "I know a lot of things."

Steve turned to Bucky.

 _She remembers,_ Bucky mouthed, and Steve's eyes widened.

"Can I come in?" Dannie asked, and Steve nodded.

"Of course! I'm sorry," He turned to his door, and his neighbor spoke up then slightly bemused.

"By the way, I think you left your stereo on," she added before making a hasty exit down the stairs.

Steve and Bucky shared a look. Bucky turned to shoot a bright smile Dannie's way.

"Mind doing us a favor?" He asked.

Dannie smiled and shrugged. "Sure."

* * *

Steve's front door opened and two people entered the apartment. They stopped in the kitchen, turning on lights, opening the fridge, speaking in low voices.

Meanwhile, Steve broke into his apartment through the window, creeping slowly around his apartment.

He paused when he recognized the man seated next to his record player. With a huff, he knocked three times on his wall, then stepped forward to converse.

* * *

Bucky heard the three knocks and smiled at Dannie.

"It's fine." He said after a moment. "It's a friendly."

Dannie grimaced. "I wouldn't be too sure." Bucky crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen cabinets. "You shouldn't trust anyone right now," She added. "I really can't tell you why, but you and your friend should be careful. Things are about to go down."

Bucky narrowed his eyes. "That's what you wanted to talk about?" He asked. "About a threat against us?"

Dannie nodded quickly, and Bucky grimaced.

He'd been hoping she remembered. Then Bucky tilted his head. What kind of threat was she talking about? but before he could question her further, or even just ask her what she'd been up to the last oh, 70 years or so, gunshots had him grabbing her and forcing the two of them to the ground.

When the gunshots ended, the two burst into the living room, to find a bleeding Nick Fury and a harried Steve, hiding behind Steve's wall.

"What happened?" Bucky hissed.

"Gunshots," Steve jerked his head. "Window."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "I got that part, idiot. Do we have any more vital information?"

Steve looked down at Fury. "Later." He told Bucky.

"Actually," Dannie spoke up, "I think I could be of help there,"

"Captain Rogers? Sergeant Barnes?" The nurse from next door burst into the room, doing a thorough scan of his apartment, "Captain, I'm agent 13, SHIELD special services."

"Agent?" Steve said dumbly.

"I'm assigned to protect you two." She explained.

"On whose orders?" Steve demanded, affronted. Bucky nodded quickly in agreement. Them? Need protection?

That was when agent "13" saw Fury, on the ground. "His." She said dumbly, taking a moment before rushing to the Director's side and beginning to assess him. She pulled out a walkie talkie.

"Foxtrot is down, I need EMTS immediately," She reported.

"Do we have a 20 on the shooter?" A voice answered,

A glint of silver caught Steve's eye, and his mouth tightened. He nodded at Bucky, who nodded slowly back.

"Actually, I wouldn't," Dannie warned, but Steve just moved forward.

"Tell them we're in pursuit." He ordered, before bursting through the window, Bucky hot on his heels.

Dannie sighed heavily. "Shouldn't have done that." She shook her head. When she looked back up the neighbor was staring dumbly at her.

"It's a bad time." Dannie inferred with an awkward smile. "I…should go." She stood slowly. "I'll um…let myself out." She nodded, then turned towards the door.

She'd come back later.

* * *

 **Should I take the stairs?**

Steve entered the elevator first…to find Dannie already there. She smiled.

"Is now a good time?" She asked brightly, and as happy as he was to see her, he really didn't want to see her right now.

"Not exactly," Steve bit out, but he moved to stand next to her.

Dannie's smile faltered, but she didn't leave the elevator, and neither did Steve.

"Its just…" Steve looked for words, "It's been a rough day."

"I know." Dannie said seriously. "And it's about to get a whole lot worse."

"I don't think that's possible," Steve chuckled wryly.

Dannie made a face, but she didn't argue with him.

Two men joined them in the elevator.

At the next stop, four men joined them, three of them in suits. They all eyed Dannie, but did their best to avoid Steve's gaze.

Three more men joined them.

"Oh my god." Steve muttered.

"Yep." Dannie agreed under her breath.

"Before we get started," Steve said loud enough that everyone could hear him. "Does anyone want to get off?"

"Yes." Dannie said fervently.

But the fight began anyway.

* * *

One of the men pressed the emergency stop button, Dannie ripped the electric sticks out of one man's hand, and for nine against two in a ten by ten, a lot of action was done. Dannie took out two guys while Steve fought with the other seven, and Dannie took two more before Steve could take out two of them. One of the men slammed Dannie's head into the wall and she went down, and Steve took him out next.

"Whoa big guy," Rumlow said. "I just want you to know…this isn't personal."

"Liar!" Dannie grunted as she swiped at his legs. Steve grabbed Rumlow's electric sticks and shocked the man into silence.

"It kind of feels personal," Steve muttered as he stared at the fallen men around him, at the men who used to be his comrades.

"I bet it does." Dannie patted his shoulder awkwardly. "Oh yeah. Don't open the elevator door."

Steve shot Dannie a look. "Then how do you suggest getting away?" He snapped.

Dannie patted the glass wall and grinned. "Losers first."

Steve shook his head, threw Dannie onto his back, then slammed through the glass, shield first.

The two scrambled upwards.

"Bike?" Dannie guessed.

"Yep." Steve agreed, and the two of them made a run for it.

When Steve lost the bike to take out the plane, Dannie watched.

She wasn't really skilled enough to help out with that part. The two shared a look once Steve was back on the ground, then Dannie huffed.

"Let's get out of here."

Steve made his way towards the hospital, pulling Dannie behind him, when she finally stopped.

"This is the end of the road," She said slowly, "for right now anyway. I've got to check in with my sources and you've got to get that flash drive back from widow. We'll meet up later."

Steve opened his mouth, but found that he had no words. Dannie smiled, waved, and hurried away.

"Tasha has what?" He muttered, before hurrying a little faster towards the hospital.

* * *

 **Can I get that for you?**

Bucky followed behind Steve and Tasha awkwardly.

Was he supposed to pretend to be in a relationship with himself?

"That looks heavy, Can I get that for you?" Bucky started at the voice, because he recognized it, and he jumped at the warm hand grabbing his own, because he wasn't expecting it. But he smiled down at the woman walking next to him, now holding his hand…because it was Dannie.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, though his smile didn't let up.

Dannie smiled brightly back at him. "I've been trying to give you guys intel you desperately need, but I seem to always pick a bad time."

Bucky snorted. "It's all been bad times, recently,"

"Yes." Dannie nodded. "And it's going to get worse." She turned to Bucky. "Hydra's got spies everywhere, and a base in Jersey. Wheaton, specifically. Get there, get the information you need, and watch out for The Winter Soldier. He's real, and he's vicious. People fake their deaths all the time, get over it. Also: Zola, algorithms. It's important, I promise."

Bucky blinked slowly.

"Anything else?" He asked.

Dannie tilted her head. "You know who I am." She guessed.

Bucky nodded slowly. "I do." He jerked a thumb towards where Steve and Tasha walked ahead of them. "He knows you better than I do."

Dannie nodded. "Good to know…but we'll get back to that later. For now," She winked, then kissed Bucky lightly on the cheek, "Good luck. You're going to need it."

She smiled one last time, then faded into the crowd. Bucky watched her for a second, then turned back to his teammates. Steve was watching him, eyes wide.

Bucky hurried towards them.

"What the hell man?" Steve accused, but Bucky raised a hand.

"It's not what you think, untwist your panties," he accused. "She had information."

"Did she?" Tasha smirked. "IS that what that was?"

Bucky made a face. "That's exactly what it was." He retorted. He turned to Steve, "And that's ALL it was. AND…" He shot Tasha a smug face. "I don't even think we need your special stick of knowledge anymore." He looked at Steve.

"Dannie gave us a location."

* * *

 **Is this a bad time?**

"Okay, this sounds like a very serious conversation, and I hate to interrupt," Dannie sat up from where she'd been ducked down in the trunk of the SUV, "But could someone crack a window? It's getting a little stuffy."

The SUV looked silently at Dannie, who shrugged. "Never mind."

"Dannie!" Steve snapped. "This…is a REALLY bad time!"

"Yeah I got that!" Dannie snapped. "What with your incoming and all!"

"What?" Bucky shot her a look, and then Jasper Sitwell was being ripped out of the car and thrown across traffic. Dannie ducked back down as Steve and his friends fought to keep the vehicle steady, breaking the back window and jumping onto the jeep that had sped up behind them. She scrambled towards the roof of the jeep, pausing at the sound of two loud thuds. She flipped over.

"The Winter Soldier," Dannie smiled and held out her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

The guy, face covered in mask and goggles, started to put his arm out. Then he paused and tilted his head, and Dannie took the opportunity to kick at his legs, which sent him flying off the jeep.

Dannie crawled over the roof to the back of the jeep, where she opened the trunk and let the crazy amount of weaponry they'd brought with them fly out onto the freeway.

She did keep a few for herself, though.

The fight raged on between the rest of Steve's friends and Hydra, and Dannie found herself unwillingly joining the fight.

* * *

Bad guys don't like it when you give their guns away, apparently.

Luckily, Dannie was very good at the art of hiding.

Steve and Bucky took out The Winter Soldiers backup, and Sam helped, while Tasha did her best to keep the Winter soldier occupied.

Steve almost missed one of the snipers, so Dannie shot him out, then decided to stop hiding.

So she was there when Steve and the Winter soldier went one on one. Bucky had left them to find the rest of the team, Tasha had been shot, and Sam was kind of being arrested, so Dannie was Rogers back up. When the Winter Soldier flung Steve's shield away, she went for it.

She threw the shield and it smacked the side of the winter soldier's head, flinging his mask off.

Steve strode forward to continue to attack, but Dannie was frozen.

"I know you." She said after a moment.

Bucky slid to a stop next to Dannie and Steve. He tilted his head.

"Michael? Michael Marsh?" Steve shot Bucky a look but Dannie never looked away.

The Winter Soldier's brown eyes were locked onto Dannie.

"Who the Hell is Marsh?" He rasped.

"You." Bucky shook his head. "That's you're name!"

"I….Dannie looked at Steve. "I think it's mine, too."

"Yeah." Steve said softly. "It's your name too."

Dannie went numb as Hydra surrounded the group, as they cuffed them and put them in the back of a van. Steve watched worriedly, and Bucky watched Steve worriedly, though he switched his attention between Steve and Tasha equally.

* * *

 **Who the hell is Marsh?**

"Who was that guy?" Dannie came out of her funk. "Who was that?"

"Michael Marsh." Bucky shook his head. "Best damn soldier the 107th ever had…until he was captured by Hydra and experimented on. I thought," He looked at Steve, "we thought he didn't survive the experiments Hydra forced him through…"

"He's alive." Dannie looked at Tasha. She frowned.

"Yeah." Steve nodded. "He's alive."

"He's my brother." Dannie's eyes widened. "He's my brother." She clapped her hands together. "I have a name!"

"Wait." Bucky furrowed his eyebrows. "You didn't know your name?"

"Hey!" The guard in the back with them flicked on his electric stick. "How'd you get uncuffed?"

"I didn't know anything, idiot." Dannie rolled her eyes. Then she shot a smirk at the guard. "You want me in cuffs? She held out her hands, "you're gonna have to put me in them yourself."

The guard lunged forward and jabbed his stick into Dannie's side. She grunted, grabbed the electric part of the stick, and wrenched it from his grasp. She pressed it right up against his neck, and the man fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Well, I feel really unnecessary right now." The other guard removed their mask, and Maria Hill shook her head at Steve. "Who's the chick?"

"I'm a real person." Dannie spoke up as she moved to Tasha and pressed her hand against her bullet wound.

Maria nodded slowly, then turned to Sam.

"I'm a normal person." He greeted.

"Right. Okay." Maria shook her head. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

Dannie parted with the group right before they made it to The Cave.

"You've got a lot of decisions to make." Dannie had explained. "Serious conversations to have, battle plans to figure out." Dannie smiled at Steve. "You don't know it yet Cap, but you're in charge now." She'd winked at Bucky, nodded at the rest of the group, then slipped away.

"She didn't even want to get her hand checked out?" Maria asked.

Steve groaned. "I totally forgot she hurt herself!"

"You're a terrible boyfriend." Bucky chastised.

"Shut up." Steve grunted.

"Wait what?" Tasha shot Steve a look. "That's the girl you were telling me about?"

"Hello?" Sam made a face. "we have a whole lot of Hydra to deal with, can we save Steve's awkward love life for later?"

"Yes." Steve agreed. "Please."

"Fine," Tasha muttered. "But we will speak of this later."

* * *

 **Will Hydra please pull their pants up?**

 _"Did you just come with that on your own, or did you think that up earlier?"_

"I think he wrote it all out." Dannie joined the group with a smile. "No way someone can think up a speech like that on the fly."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Steve rolled his eyes.

"You gonna join us on this one?" Bucky raised an eyebrow.

Dannie nodded. "I wouldn't miss this one for the world." She clapped her hands three times, then leaned over the intercom.

"Will all of Hydra please pull their pants up?" She said innocently.

Steve and Bucky made confused faces, but when they exited the room to begin their mission, about half of the agents running around were pulling up their pants. Dannie, at their sides, shrugged.

"You needed an identifier," she shrugged.

"So…the bad guys are the pants less ones." Sam nodded. "Got it."

"You're welcome," Dannie grinned.

"Now…" Bucky adjusted his weapon. "Let's get these Helicarriers away from these snakes."

* * *

 **Don't you remember?**

Dannie stared dumbly at the man across from her.

He looked like her.

He was taller and broader, but he had the same brown eyes, the same dark brown hair, the same jawline…the same nose.

Dannie had spent 75 years with a name she'd chosen for herself and life that she didn't remember.

This man had been forced into much the same…except he hadn't even gotten a name.

"Michael." Dannie breathed. The man in front of her twitched. "You are not what they made you. You are not who they forced you to be. You're more than that."

The Winter Soldier tilted his head. "Who am I?"

"You're my brother." Dannie nearly choked on the words. "You're Michael Marsh of the 107th, and you're my family."

Michael snarled and charged Dannie, and she let him. In between blocking his blows, Dannie spoke.

"You were born in 1916 on a small farm in Oklahoma. You had eleven other brothers, and then me."

Dannie rolled away from Michael's knife swipe. "You enlisted in the U.S. army in 1941, and you received your marching orders on my 17th birthday. You told me you loved me and that my boyfriend was a rat, and then you were gone."

Michael grunted loudly and drew his gun. He fired three times, but only one got Dannie, right in the side. "He was a rat." Dannie grunted with the pain. "He was…but I never got to tell you, cause I never saw you again."

Dannie rose, panting heavily. Her brother stood across from her, head tilted. "You bought me a puppy for my 9th birthday." Dannie huffed a laugh. "He always liked you better." Michael leveled his gun on Dannie once more. Dannie continued to talk. "When I was 11 you and Benji told me my horse could talk…but only if I was real quiet. I didn't talk for three days." Michael shot her in the shoulder and she fell to one knee, but she never stopped talking. "When I was 15 I had a crush on a boy and he broke my heart…so you broke his face." Michael walked towards her and shot her again, in the stomach.

One of Dannie's hands hit the ground, and she took slow, deep breaths. The helicarrier shook under her hands, and she smiled. Barnes and Rogers had completed their mission, then. "You've always been there for me Michael, always. I'm not going to fight you." She laughed, and coughed up a little blood.

Michael grabbed her neck and threw her backwards, slamming her body against the ground. He punched her a few times. "I don't know you!" He roared. "I don't know you!"

"That's what you said," Dannie rasped, blinking the one eye that wasn't swollen, "that one time I crashed one of your dates…with that pretty Annabelle from three farms over. You remember?"

Michael paused. "I don't know you." He said again.

"Yes you do." Dannie tilted her head. She blinked slowly. "I'm your little sister…Dannie."

Michael's eyes widened. Dannie felt herself going unconscious, but she had one more thing to say.

"Love you…big brother."

* * *

Dannie woke up, and everything hurt.

She had yet to open her eyes, even though she desperately wanted to know where she was, because even her EYELIDS hurt.

But then a light touch on her arm had her curious, and she peeled her lids apart to see who was touching her.

"Loki," she greeted, smiling sheepishly at the tall man and trying to ignore the pang that of disappointment that hit her.

She adored Loki…he was her best friend. He just wasn't who she'd wanted to see at that exact moment was all.

"Yes." Loki's voice was curt and his eyebrows were furrowed. His eyes flashed.

He was mad.

"The Winter Soldier, is in fact, your brother. He was horribly tortured and brainwashed, and as he disappeared shortly after the battle, I have no idea as to his current mental status. Fortunately, he was nice enough to fish you out of the water before he ran off, nice of him." Loki rolled his eyes. "I found you lying half-dead about twenty feet from the water and whisked you here. Abby has informed all of the girls as to the situation, and she is overseeing your care."

Dannie placed a hand over Loki's. "And the others?"

Loki huffed. "The Captain and his bonehead friend are fine. As far as I've heard, there have been no other major casualties. Why are you worried about them?"

Dannie leaned back in her hospital bed, eyes drawing up towards the ceiling. "I know them." She said certainly. She moved her head so she could make eye contact with Loki. "Ever since the coma your mom kept me under two years ago, I've been having dreams. But they've only been vague, I couldn't identify the people or the places, I just got…feelings about things sometimes."

"And you didn't inform me of this development why?"

Dannie smiled at Loki. "Nothing was definite." She admitted. "I didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, and the last few years, we haven't really had a free moment. So I kept it to myself."

"But something's changed." Loki inferred. "When you saw your brother?"

"Michael," Dannie's eyes went unfocused. "The moment I saw him, it was like my mind…sharpened. The memories started coming, at first the small and insignificant ones, and then the more important ones. My family," Dannie laughed, "all of my brothers, of Michael, of the others, of my father. Memories of my childhood, memories of World War II…memories of them."

"Who?"

"Steve." Dannie turned to Loki. "Bucky. Those two…I met them during the war. We were…friends." She smirked.

"Just friends?" Loki asked skeptically. "Never mind." He shook his head quickly. "I really don't want to know."

She laughed, but quickly sobered. "I know them." She repeated. "But the full story…it's not all there yet." She shook her head. "I need to talk to them, I need to see them, they know what happened,"

"I think you should." Loki interrupted firmly. "Speaking to them might be very helpful to recovering your past. But first you need to heal. And then," Loki hesitated.

"What?" Dannie sat up slowly, wincing slightly.

"I've been looking into what happened when I fell from the bridge," He explained, voice low. "I've yet to understand who would be capable of controlling ME...,"

"And you've figured it out," Dannie finished immediately. "You know who it is."

Loki nodded grimly, and Dannie's eyes widened.

"That bad?" She guessed.

Loki shook his head.

"Worse."

Dannie grimaced. "Well. Looks like we have worked to do then."

"After you're healed, of course," Loki spoke up quickly, and Dannie rolled her eyes.

"Of course. "Heal, find and take out the dick who stole your mind, interrogate the two guys who can tell me more about my past, and keep a lookout for my brainwashed brother in the meantime."

"Let's hope those Avengers of yours don't get caught up in another crazy world-saving mission, then," Loki said dryly.

Dannie shrugged. "On the bright side," She said slowly, smile widening… "One piece of my life that did come back to me…"

Loki raised an eyebrow.

Her smile widened further.

"My name."

* * *

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **~CLC~**


	5. Chapter 5

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer**

* * *

 **Party Time**

"So. Where are all the ladies?" Maria raised an eyebrow at Tony and Thor, and the two men shared a look.

"Oooh, don't even get them started." Thor looked down with a grin as a small hand slid into the crook of his elbow. "Tony will start bragging about his CEO girlfriend and Thor will be forced to retaliate by mentioning Jane's nobel prize considerations, all subtly of course."

Maria smiled at the woman that Thor had quickly pulled close to his side. "I know you. Although I haven't officially gotten your name," she added pointedly, causing the woman in front of her to laugh.

"To be honest, I didn't know my real name until recently." She held out a hand, and Maria shook it. "My name is Dannie Marsh. It's great to officially meet you."

Maria's eyes widened, but he smile didn't waver. "Likewise. It's always great to add another woman to our numbers."

Dannie grinned. "Yeah, you're definitely outnumbered." She squeezed Thor's arm. "What exactly is the party for? Thor here didn't mention that in his cryptic message."

"Oh nothing big," Tony spoke up. "Just that we finally got back little brothers scepter and destroyed the last major Hydra base, that's all."

"Oh." Dannie nodded. "So…just another day as an Avenger?"

"Pretty much." Thor admitted with a grin. He sobered. "I know how hard you've been working though, and I thought you could use a…break."

Dannie shrugged. "You're not wrong." Something caught her eye, and she disentangled herself from Thor. "I'm going to go meet the rest of your team," She explained slowly.

"Do you want me to introduce you?" Thor asked, moving to follow her.

"No!" Dannie shook her head quickly. She grinned. "I don't need a wingman for this one." She winked and hurried off.

Thor huffed, his arms crossing as he watched her weave her way through the crowd.

Then he turned to Maria. "But Jane IS quite busy, what with her nobel prize consideration," He spoke up.

Maria started laughing and Tony sputtered.

* * *

"Boo."

Bucky didn't jump at the voice, but he did grin.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. He looked for Steve to find him speaking in low tones to Sam, and Dannie shrugged.

"Thor invited me. He said there was a party, and I love parties, so of course I showed up." She smiled. "It's some…party."

Bucky chuckled. "It's a Stark party." He shook his head. "So this is what you get."

Dannie tilted her head. "I vaguely remember another Stark party I went to years ago…but it wasn't this Stark."

The first thing that came to Bucky's mind was the impromptu party Howard had thrown between missions…in 1943. He slowly looked at Dannie.

She smiled. "It's not all there." She tapped the side of her head, "and things come and go, but" she shrugged. "I remember you. And him." She tilted her head in Steve's direction. "I'm sure the three of us would have a lot to talk about."

Bucky snorted. "You can say that again."

Dannie scanned the party. "I don't think now is an appropriate time." She patted Bucky's shoulder and moved away. "But," She called out over her shoulder, "Soon."

"Promise?" Bucky called back, and she winked at him, then disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

It wasn't ten minutes later that Steve was at Bucky's side.

"Did you see who was here?" He hissed into Bucky's ear.

Bucky nodded slowly.

"What do we do?" Steve's eyes were wide, panicked. "What do I do?"

"We let her enjoy the party." Bucky rolled his eyes. When Steve opened his mouth to protest, Bucky shook his head.

"I spoke to her briefly." He explained. "She's starting to remember things; her brother probably jumpstarted her memories, to be honest. She said she remembers us, and she wants to talk to us. But this is a party," Bucky stressed the last word, "and it's no time for serious conversations. I did get her to promise to talk to us, so," Bucky clapped Steve on the shoulder. "It'll happen. Soon. But for now," Bucky searched the crowd to find Dannie speaking animatedly to a group of women, "Let's just enjoy the party."

Steve nodded. "Okay." He agreed "You're right. We'll talk later." And Steve did his best to enjoy the rest of the party.

He spent most of it watching Dannie…but at least he tried.

* * *

 **Hammers and Robots**

When the guests had left and it was just Steve, Thor, Tony, and the rest of their team, relaxed and cracking jokes and unaware of what was going on downstairs, Tony threw out the Hammer challenge, and smirking, Thor had let them have at it.

Thor's smile widened as everyone seemed incapable of lifting the hammer. The smile dropped for a moment, when the hammer wiggled in Steve's hand, and then completely when Dannie appeared.

"I thought you had left," Thor spoke when she walked into the room.

Dannie shook her head. "I had to take a phone call," she shrugged. "Why? Are you kicking me out?"

"No." Thor shook his head. "Of course not, I was just…surprised."

"Okay," Dannie said disbelievingly. "So what are we all up to?"

"Apparently nobody is on Thor's level." Clint shook his head. Dannie raised an eyebrow.

"The hammer." Bucky clarified. "None of us can lift it."

Dannie's eyes widened, and a large smile lit up her face. "Really?" She turned to Thor with her arms crossed. "Is that so?"

Tony shook his head sadly. "I really thought I was going to win that bet," he complained. "I would've been a great ruler of Asgard."

Dannie's smile widened, if that was even possible. She opened her mouth but Thor spoke over her.

"You're not invited." He said harshly.

Dannie crossed her arms. "Why not?" She teased.

Thor made a face. "Because." He muttered. "Just…sit down." He grabbed Dannie's arm and pulled her onto the couch next to him. She rolled her eyes but settled into his side.

The conversation continued for a few minutes longer…

And then the robot showed up.

* * *

Dannie tilted her head as the thing spoke, and she listened attentively. When he began to attack, Thor threw her over the couch and she crouched into a ball. When the couch was thrown, she ran to find further cover, grabbing the doctor she'd befriended and helping her hide. A bot went to shoot at them, but stopped and moved away.

Then Dannie's phone began to ring.

With a huff, she reached out a hand. She heard Thor's irritated "Hey!" as the hammer flew into her hand, though it didn't stay there long as she quickly threw it in the bot's direction.

She hit the thing right in the metal skull, and its body collapsed. The bot fell to the ground, the room quickly went silent, and Dannie answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Why are you out of breath?"

"Long story." Dannie rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I am just inquiring as to when you'll be home."

"I'm leaving now." Dannie said after a moment, smiling apologetically in Thor's direction. She strode towards the exit phone still at her ear.

"Oh? Was the party not to your satisfaction?"

"No, it was fine, fine!" Dannie assured, "It was totally…"she paused next to the battered bot at her feet. "Weird." She admitted. "It was so weird." She laughed. "But with the Avengers…what would you expect! Hold on," Dannie continued into the phone, "Gotta say goodbye to your brother."

She grimaced in Thor's direction. "I'm just gonna let you deal with…this." She gestured to the destroyed room. "It looks like you'll be busy. We'll catch up," She raised an eyebrow in Bucky's direction, "later." She finished meaningfully.

She turned away and returned to the conversation on the phone.

"Seriously…the good guys are SO weird!"

* * *

 **A Lost Girl Recruit**

"Hey, Ma."

"Charlotte." Dannie set down the homework she was looking over. "This is a surprise."

"It's a work thing." Dannie grimaced and pushed the math problems across the kitchen Island towards Kate.

"Looks good," she smiled at Kate, then moved to the living room. "What's up, Char?"

"I've got a potential for you. But it's a doozy."

"Well," Dannie looked back to the kitchen, where her girls were busy getting ready for school. "Kate's in high school now, Quinn's a junior and Sam graduates in two months. I think they can take care of themselves for a while."

"Great. Ever heard of Sokovia?"

"Nope." Dannie answered brightly. "Is that where I'm going?"

"No." Charlotte chuckled. "But that's where our girl's story starts."

"So where are you sending me?"

Another chuckle. Dannie frowned.

"Well, either you'll sneak onto a private jet filled with America's most observant, or you'll have to find your own ride."

"To?"

"How do you feel about Africa?"

Dannie smirked. "A-frican love it!"

"Lame." Charlotte chided. "Pack a bag. I'll send you the coordinates."

"Wonderful." Dannie hung up her phone and turned to the three girls at the table.

"No rest for the wicked." She sighed.

Kate glared down at her math homework.

"Tell me about it."

* * *

A loud ruckus from below interrupted Tony mid-quip.

Which was unfortunate, as it had been a good quip.

"It seems your men do have some form of loyalty," Ultron said dryly.

"Nah." The captain of the ship shook his head. "They only unload when someone's shooting at them."

"So…who's shooting at them?" Clint asked.

Not even a minute later a familiar face came into view.

Dannie Marsh, wearing black from head to toe, paused mid-flight to turn and shoot at her pursuers, a gun in each hand. She scrambled onto a Stark missile and shot a few times, then leaped for the bridge that separated Ultron and the Avengers from each other, beginning to climb it. She reached the top and lifted herself over it with a loud grunt, turning as quickly as she got her footing to begin shooting at the men who followed behind her.

She quickly pivoted, one hand still shooting in the same direction, but the other flipping to shoot behind her as well.

After a moment, she ran out of bullets.

Her pursuers did as well, and Dannie dropped both weapons with a huff.

"Now that that's over," Dannie smiled brightly at Ultron, more specifically at his human agents.

"Wanda Maximoff, right?"

Wanda leaned back in surprise. "Yes?" She said after a moment.

"Hi." Dannie's smile widened. "I can obviously see that you're busy, but I'm really just here to give you," She pulled a small piece of paper out her pocket and held it out.

Wanda tilted her head, but didn't take the card.

Dannie scrunched her nose. Her voice lowered. "Really." She advised. "I would take it."

Wanda grimaced, but took the card. Dannie beamed, and stepped back.

"Call anytime." She winked and turned, pausing at the sight of the Avengers. Her gaze paused on Steve, and a slow smile of recognition grew on her face.

"Hey." She smiled, and Steve slowly smiled back.

"Hey?" He repeated slowly.

The two stared at each other for a moment, and then Dannie shook her head quickly.

"Whoops." She smiled at the group apologetically. "Lost myself for a second there. Well," Dannie shrugged. "See you!" She leaned over the railing as if to jump and Steve spoke up quickly.

"You're bleeding…you know that right?"

Dannie stepped back from the ledge and looked down at the sticky red patch of blood on her left side. "Oh." She looked closely at it. "It's just a few stab wounds." She shrugged. "It'll be fine."

"And the blood patch near your shoulder?" Bucky asked dryly.

Dannie poked the wound. "Bullet wound." She announced. "Clean through, it'll also be fine."

"So what's wrong with your arm?" Wanda's thick accent had Dannie turning.

She narrowed her eyes at her left arm, which flopped uselessly at her side. "Dislocated." She shook her head. "Nothing to worry about. Seriously," She shot Wanda a look, "Call me. I can help you." Then she was jumping off the bridge and running off.

Ultron looked at the Avengers dryly.

"Now…where were we?"

* * *

 **A Lost Girl: Lost**

"Ma, bad news."

"Bad news how?" Dannie hissed as she slapped gauze-soaked alcohol onto her wound.

"Well, Hydra wise, we're pretty much down for the count, though some idiot is trying to restart from scratch. But I kept all their files and it looks like our girl and her brother were experiments of Hydra."

"Experiments how?"

"like…enhanced."

"No!" Dannie filled her voice with fake awe, and Chloe chuckled.

"I figured you knew that part, what with your little ship fight, but I just thought you'd like a confirmation."

"Hmm. You'd be right." Dannie admitted. "What else you got?"

"Well, it looks like our girl and her brother are Ultron's only human agents, so there's really no way to sneak in any doubles. But I was going over your statement on Ultron's grand entrance? At the party?"

"Yeah?" Dannie cut more gauze and slapped it against her lower stomach, grabbing wrap and twining it around her body to keep the gauze in place.

"He put his weapon down instead of taking out Cho."

"Something he'd only do if she'd be useful to him." Dannie huffed. "I'm a horrible mom and I don't remember everything she has in the works."

"Some chamber device that will regenerate dead human cells and tissue."

Dannie paused. "How likely is it that this chamber thing is also possible of creating tissue where there was none before?"

"Bad news? Highly likely." Chloe admitted, and Dannie grunted.

"Wonderful. Get me a ticket to Seoul, then."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked slowly. "I'm apparently out of a job, I could help out?"

"Standby." Dannie ordered after a moment. "I'll probably need you, but let me go in first to assess."

"Understood. You need me to take care of your travel plans?"

Dannie tied off her ribs and shook her head. "Nah. I got that part covered." She grinned. "Let me just make a call."

* * *

"Let me get this straight. You expect me to drop everything, use my plane and my fuel, pick you up in New York, fly you to China, drop you off, and then leave you there?"

"Which part do you object to?" Dannie threw a few weapons into a bag, smiling absentmindedly at Kate, who handed her a makeup case filled with grenades.

"All of it!" The shriek had Dannie jerking her phone from her ear. There was a low laugh. "Sorry. It's been a crazy week for me. The last part, ma. I'm not leaving you without an escape plan."

"Jody, it'll be fine. A few friends will most likely stop by, if I'm really as unlucky as I think I am, and I'll hitch a ride back with them. If not," Dannie grimaced as she tried to think up a plan B.

"How about this? We hit up Seoul, you do your assessment, and I'll check out their shopping until you've given me the go-ahead. That way I'm there if you need me."

Dannie zipped up her duffel bag and sighed. "Alright fine. When can you get here?"

"Ma. I've been in New York since you called in a Code Mint."

Dannie rolled her eyes, though one hand fell to her wrapped ribs. "Right. You girls are overprotective."

"You saved our lives. We've been waiting for the chance to return the favor."

"Give me three minutes." Dannie said with a chuckle.

"I'll give you five, so maybe you'll take those extra two minutes and just BREATHE."

"Hey who's the mom?" Dannie retorted. "Me. So chill out, and I'll see you in a few minutes."

* * *

"You better not get hurt again." Quinn, Kate and Sam stood in Kate's front door, their arms crossed.

"Not you guys too!" Dannie groaned. "Listen…All I'm doing is going to make sure your sister stays alive. I don't plan on going in guns blazing."

"Promise?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

Dannie took a few steps and pulled the three girls into a hug. "I promise." She whispered into Kate's ear. She stepped back before things got too mushy. "Now. I'll see you tonight." She blew her girls a kiss, shouldered her duffle bag, and then hurried down the stairs.

"She's gonna get herself killed." Kate shook her head.

"Of course not." Sammie argued. "She'll just get herself NEARLY killed."

Quinn pursed her lips, then nodded. "The second one sounds about right."

* * *

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The gun pressed against Ultron's back would be useless against the bot, but it was more a gesture than an actual tactic.

"Why not?" Ultron asked dryly. He knew exactly who it was, the unknown woman was always appearing at the most inopportune moments.

"You see," Dannie's voice was light, a contrast to the deep guttural tone she'd just used to stop Ultron from using the scepter against Helen. "I'm not a big fan of the whole mind control business, it's hurt a lot of good friends of mine. Besides, I've got a better idea."

Ultron moved the scepter away from Helens chest, intrigued despite himself. He still had the upper hand, it was Helen and this woman against himself and his agents. Their only weapon was a gun. He might as well humor her.

"You want to use Helen's chamber to make yourself a body."

"It doesn't do that." Helen whispered to Dannie, who shrugged.

"It can." She admitted. "And he wants you to make it happen." She turned to Helen. "I think you should do it."

"You want me to give the crazy robot a workable body." Helen said numbly. "Why?"

"I think…" Dannie tilted her head, then looked at Wanda, "It will help explain a lot of things…open a lot of…minds." She added.

Wanda tilted her head. Then her eyes widened, as if she understood. She nodded slowly.

"So here's the deal, bot." Dannie turned to Ultron. "Helen will do what you want, as long as you DON'T blue-brain her, or hurt her in any way, and we all get what we want."

Ultron considered her.

"Why?" He asked. "Won't the Avengers be angry with you? You are helping me, and going against them."

"Oh." Dannie laughed. "I'm not an Avenger. The only reason I'm here is for my girls." She smiled at Helen, then shot Wanda a look. "They're all I care about. If helping you is the only way to protect them, well then, I'm in."

"Interesting." He mused. He turned to Helen.

"I can really create a body from scratch?" She asked slowly. "My machine can do that?"

"Well," Ultron shrugged and smashed the scepter, revealing a blue gem. He held it up. "You can as long as you have the right materials."

"And apparently we do." Dannie said dryly. She clapped her hands. "What are we waiting for?! Let's get to work?"

As Dannie had predicted, Wanda was appropriately horrified at what she found in Ultron's brain. When Ultron was distracted Helen disabled the machine, and when

* * *

Ultron struck in anger, Dannie took the shot meant for Helen. She rushed her out of Ultron's line of fire, and Wanda and her brother did the opposite. Ultron found himself without any human agents, and angry, he rushed off with the machine.

But the Avengers were on his tail.

Knowing this, Dannie left them to deal with Ultron while she got Helen out of there.

"Jody! No time to explain, just go!"

"I'm going, Ma, don't get your panties in a twist." The pilot of the plane quickly pressed all the necessary buttons, and Helen sat Dannie down quickly, grimacing at her wounds.

"Hey Helen, long time no see," Jody called over her should.

"I wish it were under better circumstances," Helen muttered, causing the pilot to look back. Her eyes widened.

"Ma!" Jody screeched. "What happened?"

"I was doing my job," Dannie glared at her new wound. "Taking care of my girls."

"How did you even know I was in trouble?" Helen asked slowly, and Dannie smiled.

"I'm a Ma." She explained airily. "I know everything."

Helen huffed and Jody chuckled.

"You're a ma who doesn't know how to take care of herself," Helen scolded, and Dannie shrugged. She opened her mouth to argue, but all of a sudden a light knocking on plane door had everyone pausing.

"Uh," Dannie furrowed her brow, "come in?"

The door opened to reveal Wanda, standing their nervously.

"Wanda." Dannie greeted slowly. "Where's your brother?"

"With the Avengers," Wanda shrugged. "We figured they could use some help."

"I'm guessing Team Ultron isn't looking so great anymore?" Dannie guessed, and Wanda grimaced.

"I do not want him to succeed." She said simply. "And you said you could help me?"

"I can." Dannie nodded. "Come on in." Wanda stepped into the plane and shut the door behind her.

"I'm glad you're here," Dannie said warmly.

"Same!" Jody called from the cockpit. Helen didn't look so sure, but she stayed silent.

"Hate to interrupt, but uh, where am I going?" Jody asked. "Hospital?"

"I don't need a hospital!" Dannie shook her head quickly. Her expression grew thoughtful. "What we need to do is get back to New York. I think it's about time The Lost Girls made themselves known, and if whatever you saw," Dannie jerked her head in Wanda's direction, "is as bad as I think it is, we're going to need all the help we can get."

Wanda grimaced, but nodded.

"New York it is." Jody confirmed.

Helen continued to fuss over Dannie's wound, and Wanda looked at Dannie.

"So," she began slowly, "Who are the lost girls?"

Dannie smiled. "It's a program I developed on accident," she began. "It's got a bit of a long back story too,"

"I've got time," Wanda said firmly.

"And I love this story." Jody spoke up brightly. "I've heard it a million times," she confided to Wanda with a grin, "But it never gets old."

And Wanda, after Dannie had told her the entire story, found herself agreeing.

It WAS a good story. And the offer Dannie made…sounded VERY interesting.

* * *

 **The Lost Girl Program**

Fury wasn't as successful as he'd hoped in finding the agents he'd wanted to help evacuate the flying city, and Coulson and Hill hadn't done too well either.

And then the brunette woman who'd introduced herself as Grace years ago and been shoving her nose into his business ever since burst into the room, eyes bright.

"Danielle Marsh." She introduced brightly. "And once again, I'm here to do your job for you."

"Fantastic." Fury said dryly. "Shall I take the day off, then?"

"No," Dannie grinned. "I'm not running this op, I'm just here to help." Dannie looked at Fury's door with a sly smile.

"More like," She amended, "We're here to help."

Fury stood, interested despite himself. "Who's we?"

Dannie dropped one single, bright pink glove on his desk. Fury's eyes widened in recognition, and Dannie shrugged.

"The Lost Girls." She responded simply.

"They're not ones to work with others," Fury spoke slowly. "From what I understand, they never have before."

Dannie shrugged. "This is a special case," She admitted. "Listen: We're here to help. You want us or not?"

Fury only had to think for a second.

Then he handed Dannie back her glove.

"Yes." He said simply. Dannie pulled the glove onto her right hand, then held it out for Fury to shake. She beamed, and Fury reluctantly found himself smiling back as she bounded towards the door.

"Let's go save some people!"

* * *

Steve watched the helicarriers land from afar, Tasha and the fast Maximoff at his side. He shook his head ruefully.

"Glad you like the view Romanoff. It's about to get better."

From the clouds rose a welcome sight: The helicarrier.

"Nice right? Pulled her out of moth balls with a couple of old friends," Fury paused meaningfully, and on the helicarrier, Dannie shot him a wide smile. "And new friends." Fury added. "She's dusty, but she'll do."

"Fury, you son of bitch," Steve responded, and Fury laughed.

"Oh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Maria Hill checked the stats of the ship, and another agent, counted down.

"Take them out," He ordered, and from the hull of the Helicarrier came over a dozen smaller ships…obviously meant to be used to get everyone off the flying city.

"This is Shield?" Over the comms, Dannie overheard Wanda's brother speak.

"This is what Shield is supposed to be," Steve answered, and Pietro's, "This is not so bad," had Wanda smiling.

"Let's load them up." Steve ran to meet a ship.

He paused for a moment when it was Dannie who came out to meet him.

"How many?" She asked briskly, and Steve shook his head, speechless. Dannie smiled. "your silence isn't comforting." She gestured to the group of women behind her, all dressed in head to toe black except for the pink glove on their right hands. "Tell the civilians to look for the pink gloves." She shrugged. "We'll take it from there. Focus your team's efforts on keeping this rock upright. We'll take care of the people." She smirked. "You've got bigger bots to fry."

Steve nodded, but didn't seem inclined to move. So Dannie pushed him. "Go." She ordered, and finally, he moved.

"Everyone hear that?" He checked.

"Looks like we have more backup than we were expecting." Bucky spoke up.

"And if I'm not mistaken, your girlfriend is a Lost Girl." Tasha said slowly.

"A What?" Steve furrowed his brow.

"A females only secret intelligence organization with no ties to the government, or…anything, really. I've heard of them, but never seen them in action, let alone in a group this size." Tasha shook her head. "They're the good guys though."

Steve nodded slowly. "Well, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouse. Avengers, let's give the Lost Girls some room to work."

"Roger that."

* * *

With all of the Avengers focused on keeping Ultron from the power source, He had no chance of letting the rock drop early.

In a rage, he commandeered a jet and turned its sights on one of the woman who was helping with the evacuation…specifically with the woman who was not hours ago supposedly on his side.

But Wanda saw him coming, and her special abilities kept both herself and the boy in her arms safe.

The Hulk took care of Ultron after that, and the Avengers who couldn't fly hurried to the ships.

* * *

Captain America was the last one to board the ship, everyone else safely situated and ready to get as far from the former city as possible.

He paused next to Dannie, whose hair was disheveled, but her smile was bright.

"Good work Captain," She congratulated.

"I could say the same to you." He smiled and leaned forward to wipe a streak of dirt off her cheek.

She raised an eyebrow but let it happen.

"Not that this isn't adorable," Bucky strode toward them, "but we should probably take a seat, and maybe not stand so close to the edge."

"Especially not with all of the injuries you sustained." Helen joined the group, arms crossed. She shook her head. "The adrenaline is going to wear off soon and you should probably be sitting down when that happens."

"I appreciate the concern." Dannie began, "But," Her eyelids fluttered, and she began to sway. Before anyone could catch her, she toppled over the edge.

"Anybody on wings?" Bucky called out into the Comms quickly. "The city ain't the only thing that's falling!"

"On it." Rhodey responded, and Bucky grinned.

"She's fine." He shrugged.

"Again?" Steve turned to Bucky. "She falls…AGAIN?"

"So she's a little clumsy." Bucky explained, and Helen snorted. "A little?"

Rhodey appeared a few moments later, an unconscious Dannie in his arms. He deposited her on the ground of the ship.

"Should we wake her up?" Buck asked, but Helen shook her head.

"She's a better patient when she's unconscious," She admitted. "Help me get her to the temporary Med corner?" Bucky nodded and lifted Dannie into his arms, following Helen as she led the way to where the other injured parties were.

Steve watched them go, shaking his head.

"You alright?" Sam asked.

Steve huffed. "I'm alright." He turned to watch as Thor and Tony blew up the now empty city. "I'll just feel better when we finally reach the ground."

Sam chuckled and clapped Steve on the shoulder.

"You and me both." He agreed.

* * *

 **Making a Merger**

"Nick." Steve shook Fury's hand. "Where are we?"

"A house." Fury looked around the large foyer with a smile. "It was a great hideout last time." He shrugged. "Figured it would work well again."

"As a hideout?" Steve raised an eyebrow. "What are we hiding from?"

"Not hiding," Tasha joined Fury and Steve in the foyer. "Waiting."

"For?" Bucky raised an eyebrow at Tasha. "Our next mission?"

"Of a sorts." Fury stepped into the living room and gestured for everyone to take a seat. The doorbell rang and Tasha went to go get the door.

"Whose house is this, by the way?" Bucky sunk into the comfortable couch, then jumped up. "Because this chair is awesome. Steve come here, I think both of us can fit in it." Steve rolled his eyes but squished himself next to Bucky.

"It's not mine." Fury shook his head at the two grown men. "I would never have a chair that size."

"Why not? It's awesome! Let me see if I can fit too." Sam climbed in between Bucky and Steve, who grunted by tried to make room for him.

"Its unnecessarily large," Rhodey pointed out. "If you need a chair that size, why not just get another couch?"

"Well what's the fun in that?" Tony shook his head. "that chair is amazing."

"Everyone's here." Tasha announced, pushing Rhodey and Tony onto the couch.

"Not exactly," Fury admitted, pausing at the sound of the front door opening.

Dannie appeared a few moments later, Wanda and Pietro behind her.

She blinked blankly at the men in front of her.

"How'd you get into my house?" She finally asked.

"You live here?" Sam brightened. "This is your house?"

"And that's my chair." Dannie dropped the duffle bag she'd been holding to cross her arms. "Seriously?"

"It's so big." Bucky complimented.

"That's what she said," Pietro, Wanda, and Dannie said together. They shared a smile, then Dannie pointed a finger threateningly at Fury.

"But really…why are you guys in my house?"

"We have…" Fury shrugged, "A proposition."

Dannie's eyes narrowed. "Okay." She took a seat on the couch, and Wanda and Pietro followed suit. "What do you have in mind?" she asked, and Fury smiled.

* * *

"I'd have to think about it," Dannie hedged.

Fury nodded, as if he'd expected this answer.

"What?" Bucky jumped up. "Why?"

"Because the Lost Girls is less the organization you think it is and more of my way to help girls. We're not the strategic team of agents you think we are. We're just a bunch of women who help where we can."

"Maybe that's how it started, but it's more than that now." Steve pointed out. "Your girls a widespread group that can access nearly every database known to man, probably the president, even."

"One of my girls is Secret Service," Dannie allowed, "but that proves nothing!"

"It proves our point." Fury argued. "By teaming up with the Avengers and teaching classes at the soon-to-be-developed facility, you can reach more than just six girls at a time. Not only can they help you find the girls, they can help house them and find them jobs."

"I'm not teaching more girls so that you can keep them for yourself." Dannie crossed her arms.

"Of course not." Tasha spoke up. "You'll still be independent of The Avengers, and you have full authority to what those girls will do once you're done teaching them. We'd just like the opportunity to offer them a position if we'd like to and if we need back-up, that the Lost Girls would be our Allies."

Dannie's eyes narrowed. "Okay…" she said slowly. "What's the catch?"

"No catch." Tony promised. "I'll be funding the facility, so really, Fury has no authority in any of these fun new plans. It's really that guy you'll be directly collaborating with." Tony pointed at Steve, who smiled hesitantly.

"Oh really?" Dannie started to smile. "So maybe we should continue this discussion over coffee, the both of us?" She winked. "See if we can come up with a mutually beneficial partnership?"

Steve nodded quickly and jumped up. "I agree." He said seriously.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Dannie quickly strode towards the front door.

"You guys can let yourselves out," She called over her shoulder.

Fury snorted when he heard the door slam.

"You should've started with the Steve card," Bucky admitted.

The rest of the room nodded in agreement. Fury nodded thoughtfully.

* * *

After a three-hour conversation between Steve and Dannie that was less about the future and more about the past, the two of them came to an agreement.

The Lost Girls were no longer entirely free agents, The Avengers had new Allies, and Steve and Dannie were finally reunited…officially.

* * *

 **Review/Follow/Favorite?**

 **~CLC~**


	6. Chapter 6

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer**

* * *

 **I Don't Do Boys**

"Hello?"

"Hey Gabby, it's Dannie. I just got your message, is something wrong?"

"Nope, nothing! I just know wanted to see how you were doing, with your empty nest and all?"

Dannie huffed. Steve, whose office was right across from her, raised an eyebrow. She shrugged, and Steve raised a disbelieving eyebrow at her before returning to his paperwork.

The Floor to ceiling window-walls that separated the offices was nice when she just had a quick question and could just mouth it to him or write it down and hold it up, and he'd see it.

But Dannie was in the middle of a moment, and she didn't want to worry Steve…but she also just wanted to be grumpy for a while.

She contemplated closing her blinds, but then Steve would REALLY know that something was wrong, so she kept them open…reluctantly.

She did turn her chair slightly. "I can't believe my house is finally empty" Dannie admitted. "It hasn't been just me since 1960, and even then it was only for a few weeks." She shook her head. "I mean, Sam left for college, Quinnie had that great opportunity to study abroad, and Katie's having such a good time helping Laura with the babies that she's hinted at staying and enrolling in the high school there come September. I mean," Dannie frowned. "Should I get a pet or something?"

"Well actually, that's why I was calling you," Gabby admitted. "I have three siblings that need placement. Thing is, they're younger than you usually take," Gabby hesitated.

"And?" Dannie sensed a but, and she was usually right.

"But," there it was, "they're boys."

"Whoa." Dannie leaned back in her chair. "You know I don't do boys, I've NEVER done boys…what would I even do with them? And how young are we talking?"

"six, three and," Gabby hesitated, "five months."

"Dude. A baby? What am I supposed to do with a baby?"

"Ma," Gabby's voice pleaded, "Just listen. If you don't take them, I'll have to split them up, and all these boys have are each other. And they're good boys, Ma. They like to play with trucks and play video games, and really, you're good at both those things! I'm sure there would be plenty of people at your work that would be more than happy to watch them while you teach, and they would be great just playing in your office. Ma please," Gabby pulled out the big guns. "You're their last chance."

Dannie sighed heavily. "I will only agree to meet them," She finally allowed, and Gabby squealed. Dannie rolled her eyes. "For a grown woman, your squeal is still shockingly loud." She observed. "When works for you?"

"I can bring them by your work in about two hours," Gabby said enthusiastically, and Dannie rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll see you then." She hung up with her social worker daughter and sighed heavily.

Why had she agreed to that? She never dealt with boys! Dannie heard a thunk and looked up to see Steve grinning back at her, holding up to cups of coffee.

* * *

Dannie grinned and shook her head, but gestured him over. His grin widened and he crossed the hallway and strode into her office. Dannie took the cup with a smile of thanks, watching as Steve settled into one of the chairs across from her desk.

"Three, two, one," She counted down, rolling her eyes when Bucky burst into her office.

"How do you always know?" She teased.

"I can sense it," Bucky said dramatically, taking the other seat. "So, what are we talking about?"

"Nothing yet," Dannie answered as Steve said at the same time, "Something's wrong with Dannie."

"Dude." Dannie shook her head.

"There is." Steve turned to Bucky. "I've been trying to figure out what it is, but I haven't figured it out yet."

"Does it have something to do with your memories?" Bucky leaned forward.

"No, I have pretty much everything back, except for the real traumatic stuff." Dannie pointed a finger at Bucky, "and no, it's not the traumatic stuff that's bugging me."

Bucky wilted. "That was my first guess too," Steve admitted. "So then I thought maybe it was the job," Steve blinked innocent eyes at Dannie. "I know you only agreed to fifteen students and two classes a week, so eight classes a week and over seventy-five students has got to be a stressor."

"Stressful, sure." Dannie shrugged. "But it's good work, and I'm having fun." She smirked at the men, at her friends. "And my coworkers are okay."

"Yes!" Bucky grinned. "She's talking about me," He informed Steve loftily, "not you. She hates you."

"Please." Steve snorted. "She likes me the best."

Dannie rolled her eyes and listened to the two men bicker, and realized that she while maybe she hadn't really dealt with boys before, times were changing.

"Dans, just tell Steve that you hate him and love me the best," Bucky demanded.

Dannie chuckled, "I hate both of you equally," she informed, and both men grimaced at that.

Times WERE changing, because here she was, thirty seconds after admitting that she didn't deal with boys, and what was she doing?

Dealing with boys.

* * *

Bucky and Steve were still in the room when Gabby turned up forty-five minutes later, a blue bundle in her arms, a small boy holding her hand, and an even smaller boy trailing behind her.

"Who are these guys?" Steve asked.

"My worst nightmare," Dannie muttered, but she moved forward to greet Gabby with a smile.

"You said two hours." Dannie pointed out. Gabby grimaced and blew a blonde wisp of hair out of her face.

"I just wanted you to meet them so badly," She admitted. Dannie sighed, then she squatted.

The older boy took a step back, shy, but the younger boy toddled forward, green eyes wide. Dannie smiled reluctantly. "Hi," She greeted, and the boy smiled back, mouth opening to reveal one little tooth. "What's your name?"

The boy mumbled something but he was so quiet that Dannie didn't catch it.

"His name is Hudson." The older boy moved forward slowly. "He can't talk real good yet."

"But you can." Dannie smiled. The older boy was six, Dannie remembered. First grade. "What's your name?"

"Drew." He scrunched his nose. "I'm the oldest. Wyatt is the baby." He pointed and Dannie stood and reached for the baby. Hudson hopped forward to grab onto Dannie's pants. She took the baby and smiled down at Hudson, who smiled back.

"Those are my brothers." Drew said seriously. "I'm in charge cause mommy and daddy are dead." He frowned. "Being in charge is hard, because Hudson never listens and Wyatt hasn't learned how to yet."

Dannie looked at Gabby who smiled brightly.

Bucky and Steve watched the scene unfold, eyes bright.

Dannie leaned back down. "Well Drew, my name is Dannie. I'm pretty old, so I'm used to being in charge. How would you feel about coming and staying with me for a while?"

Drew's brow furrowed. His eyes were green like his little brothers, but unlike Hudson, freckles dotted his nose and cheeks, and his hair was a lighter shade of brown. "Would I have to listen to you?"

Dannie tilted her head. "We could make a deal," she said after a moment. "I will listen to you, if you listen to me. But I am older, so sometimes I know about stuff just a little more than you. That means you'll have to listen just a little bit more."

Drew nodded slowly. "You and me and Hudson and Wyatt though, right? You want all of us?" He looked at his shoes, scuffed sneakers that had seen better days. "Some people wanted us, but they didn't want all of us." He shrugged. "Then some people wanted all of us, but they changed their minds."

Dannie handed the baby off for a second and turned to Drew. She pulled him close to her and looked him straight in the eyes. "I want all of you," she promised. "And if I want you, I will always want you. I won't change my mind."

"You promise?" Drew chewed on his lip, and Dannie smiled. "Yep." She nodded. "I promise."

Drew threw his little arms around Dannie's neck and squeezed. Dannie hugged Drew back tightly. Hudson clapped excitedly and joined the hug.

Gabby wiped her eye discreetly, then clapped her own hands.

"Well boys, Miss Dannie has to get home to get your rooms ready. We need to go pack up your stuff so we can meet Miss Dannie for dinner."

"At your house?" Drew asked, and Dannie nodded. "We're going to live there now?" Dannie nodded again. "Starting tonight?" Dannie smiled and nodded for a third time.

"Okay." Drew reached for Gabby's hand and allowed her to escort the three men out of the room.

Bucky and Steve waited for Dannie's office door to close before turning to her.

"I know!" Dannie groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "What have I done?!"

"They're cute though," Bucky tried.

"But they're boys." Steve grimaced. "Do you know what to do with little boys?"

"I deal with you and Bucky on a daily basis," Dannie retorted, "So I think I'll be fine."

"True." Bucky's eyes narrowed. "But aren't all your extra bedrooms decorated for girls?"

Dannie's eyes widened. She grabbed her keys and jacket. "I'm taking the rest of the day off," She announced. "See you tomorrow."

"Wait!" Bucky raised a hand. "Do you need help?"

Dannie turned to consider the men. "Are you going to actually help or just be distracting?"

"We'll help." Steve promised. "We'll be so helpful!"

"Ugh." Dannie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Come on."

Bucky and Steve high fived and then followed Dannie, who shook her head.

She still couldn't believe what she'd just done…but it would be okay…right?

* * *

 **Guest Speakers**

Dannie found being a mother to boys was a lot easier than it had been mothering girls. Boys were simple creatures…especially at that age.

Drew was at the age where he needed to be stimulated. He was a serious one, who wasn't afraid to ask questions. He loved puzzles and homework, surprisingly enough, and he preferred to be left to his own devices to play.

Hudson was a cuddly clingy little boy who loved to sit in Dannie's lap and color or hang off of her pant leg and babble at her or follow her around or just be around her. He also loved trucks and dogs…and Steve.

Hudson's favorite person seemed to be Dannie, but it also seemed that Steve was a close second. He would light up whenever he saw Steve, and Steve, to his chagrin, did much the same. Hudson loved to sit on Steve's shoulders or just perch on Steve's shoulders as Steve walked around the facility and made sure everything was running smoothly.

Wyatt was easy. She just strapped him into a baby carrier she'd gotten and he just kind of hung there, only getting squirmy when he was either hungry or sleepy or needing to be changed.

Dannie found that the boys didn't distract her at work as much as she'd thought, and at home, they were slowly settling into a routine. When they all got home from work it was dinner, playtime, bath and bed. When the boys were asleep Dannie would finish up any work that she needed and then fall asleep herself.

She always woke up with Drew's little body tucked into her side and Hudson sprawled on top of her, snoring loudly.

It was a different life than the one she was used to, but Dannie found herself happy with her boys.

Unfortunately for her, the girls and women she taught thought Dannie still needed more…one more boy to add to her life.

Or more specifically, a MAN.

And the Lost Girls had a plan.

* * *

"Alright ladies, today we have Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes and Captain Steve Rogers with us, AKA Bucky and Steve, as you know them." Dannie sat on a stool in front of the room, Bucky and Steve also on stools to her left. Her students sat in rows facing them, all with paper in front of them and pens in their hand. "Today's going to be a bit of a question and answer session about the Avengers facility in general; I know you ladies have been taking classes here for months now, but seeing as we just share the facility, I thought getting these guys in here would give you an opportunity to better understand what they do on their end, and help you decide if it's something you might want to pursue once you've graduated from my class."

"Leave you?" A girl in the back row called out. "NEVER."

"Shut it." Dannie rolled her eyes. "Now we've only got these guys for about forty-five minutes, so let's get started. Who has the first question?"

Every hand in the room raised, and Dannie smiled. "Alright then." She picked one at random, and the question and answer session began.

The first dozen questions or so were legitimate, and Bucky and Steve took turns answering. Slowly but surely though, the questions became less about the Avengers facility and more about…well.

 _"Why did you choose this profession?"_

 _"What three events most shaped your life?"_

 _"What are two things you do well and one thing you don't do well, but wish you did?"_

 _"What is your most difficult challenge right now?"_

 _"Your job is a stressful one. What do you do to unwind?"_

 _"So how is one supposed to raise a family if the job is so time-consuming?"_

 _"What's your ideal date?"_

"Whoa, wait, what?" Dannie looked up from where she was feeding Wyatt. "That is NOT an appropriate question!"

"It's totally appropriate! How else are we going to pick one?"

"Pick one for what?"

"To date you!"

"What?! No way, I'm not dating these guys," She argued.

"Of course not." Bucky agreed. "You have to pick one of us."

Steve pointed a finger at himself and nodded meaningfully.

Dannie snorted. "Whoa, no way,"

"To answer your question," Bucky turned to the girls, who smiled and held pens at the ready, "My ideal date would be,"

"Stop it." Dannie ordered, but Bucky continued to speak as if he hadn't heard her.

"And you?" The girls turned to Steve, once Bucky was finished.

Steve didn't even have to think about it. "A baseball game."

Some of the girls crinkled their nose, but then they saw Dannie, who was nodding slowly in approval.

"That is what we first bonded over," he added, shooting her a smile that she returned warmly.

The girls noticed the sweet exchange, and so did Bucky. He leaned back in his chair, hands raised in defeat.

Wyatt began to fuss so Dannie missed the victorious grin that Steve sported, and the girls nodding in grudging agreement: Steve was the guy.

Steve and Bucky seemed to agree with them.

Now they just had to get Dannie on board.

* * *

 **Take me Out**

"Hi, there are four of us…but he's a baby." Dannie pointed at baby Wyatt, who gurgled at the ticket guy.

"So you need three tickets." The guy punched a few numbers into his computer.

"Is that how it works?" Dannie mused, and the man chuckled.

"You're not buying their entrance; you're buying the seats. So the baby is on your lap, and you only need three seats."

"Make that two." Hudson squealed and grabbed onto the pants leg of the man that had approached Dannie and her boys.

Steve smiled and picked up Hudson, the little boy settling easily into his arms. "Hudson can sit on my lap." He held up a ticket of his own. "And…I'm already taken care of."

Dannie shot Steve a surprised smile. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and Steve winced.

"It's exactly what it looks like," he finally admitted, and Dannie shook her head.

"I figured. Ah well." She smiled down at Drew, who just shrugged at her.

"You could do worse," he said seriously.

"Very true," she agreed. She smiled up at the ticket guy, who held out two tickets for her, eyes locked onto Steve. "Thanks," She rolled her eyes, then took Drew's hand. "Let's go find those seats now." She smirked at Steve. "You too, I guess."

Steve grinned and looked at Hudson, who nodded. "Alright then." He smiled. "Let's go watch a baseball game."

* * *

"Man I miss the Dodgers," Steve brought up wistfully.

"They're not dead." Dannie teased. "They just moved."

"Yeah," Steve sighed, "All the way to L.A. I miss my Brooklyn Dodgers."

"I know you do." Dannie patted Steve sympathetically on the arm. "New York still has the Yankees though,"

"No." Steve shook his head. "I'll take anyone over the Yankees. And these guys aren't too bad."

"The Red Sox?" Dannie smiled. "Yeah, I've got a soft spot for them." She nudged Steve lightly, trying not to jostle the snoring Hudson in his arms. "A girl who graduated the program got me hooked on them actually, her brother had been a big fan." She chuckled. "Which now means you're rooting against the New York, seeing as these guys are their worst enemies."

"Perfect." Steve grinned. He leaned over Dannie. "How are you doing Drew?"

"They change pitchers a lot," Drew pointed out. "Why?"

"It keeps their arms from getting tired," Steve explained, adjusting the small boy in his arms so he could lean closer to Drew. "The pitchers throw the ball really hard and really fast, and if they throw too many times in a row, they could really hurt their arms, so they have to take lots of breaks."

Dannie nodded. "Steve is right," she agreed, "It's very hard to throw for long periods of time, and especially to have good throws every time."

Drew nodded thoughtfully. "I bet Steve could throw strikes the whole game."

"I don't know about that," Steve tried, but Dannie nodded.

"I think so too," She agreed with a warm smile. Steve flushed.

Wyatt babbled loudly and pointed to the field, drawing the groups attention back to the game.

* * *

This kiss cam was a relentless monster, and if Steve were more paranoid, he would think that one of Dannie's girls were running the show.

Dannie was more paranoid, and she knew that the girls had gotten to the camera.

It was the only explanation.

The kiss cam landing on the two of them the first time was a coincidence, and the darn thing should've been happy with the kiss Dannie bestowed on Hudson, who she'd traded Steve for the inning before.

But the kiss cam returned, and Steve, flushing, had held baby Wyatt up so both of them could smack kisses into his chubby cheeks.

The baby had giggled and it had been very cute, and that should've been the end of it.

But the kiss cam singled them out for a third time, and Drew had sighed heavily. "You should just kiss ," He'd persuaded, pulling his little brother into his chair, out of the way, and with a shared look and a shrug, Steve had wrapped a hand around Dannie's neck and pulled her close. Baby Wyatt didn't seem to mind at first, but as the kiss lingered, he squawked with indignation.

Steve released Dannie and the two chuckled, Steve sitting back to bounce the baby. Wyatt calmed after a few moments, and Hudson crawled back onto Dannie's lap, smiling and reaching up for his own kiss. Dannie laughed and smacked her lips against both his cheeks.

"There, now we can get back to the game," Drew huffed.

Dannie's smile widened, and she leaned towards Drew. "So that was okay?" She asked quietly.

Drew shrugged. "I guess so. You're still going to keep us, right?" He checked.

Dannie didn't hesitate before nodding. These boys had latched onto her heart, and she wasn't letting them go…ever. She was already working on the adoption papers; in fact, they were nearly finished.

"Well then, I guess it's okay if you decide to keep Mr. Steve too." He furrowed his brows. "He can stay with Sonny."

Dannie chuckled, wrapping an arm around Drew. "I'm sure we'll figure something out when we get to that point."

"Yeah." Drew thought for a moment. "Maybe he can just stay with you."

Dannie's smile widened. "Let's focus on the game, drew, we'll worry about that later."

"Okay." Drew settled into his seat, and after a moment, Dannie did the same, adjusting Hudson on her lap. If, in her adjusting, she ended up leaning into Steve, and he just found it more comfortable to wrap an arm around her shoulders, well…

It wasn't like anyone noticed.

But the two girls running the kiss cam did.

And no one could blame them for the high five they shared.

Mission ACCOMPLISHED.

* * *

 **For the Love…Of the Game**

Dannie and Steve attended several other baseball games throughout the rest of the season. Some with the kids, and some without.

And the amount of time they spent out on the field gave them an idea.

It took a while to set up; the Lost Girls program was right in the middle of "Finals" and Steve and Bucky were dealing with breaks in a secret case of their own. Both teams finally found some time, on Steve's birthday of all things, the 4th of July, and they met on the field.

* * *

"Alright," Steve raised an eyebrow at his team. "Buck, you've got the best arm,"

"Duh," Bucky grinned.

"So I'm putting you in center field, and Pietro, right field." Pietro grinned. "We've gotten permission for genetically altered powers, but no tech, so Vision…what?"

"I understand the schematics of the game of baseball," Vision began slowly, "but why are we doing this?"

"Because the Lost Girls have dared us," Scott piped up. "Worse, it was a TRIPLE dog dare. We have to beat them to prove we're better."

"Ah. I see." Vision nodded. "Proceed."

"Right. Vision, you'll be in left field. Sam, I want you on first, Rhodey is at second with Scott on third base. Tasha will be our catcher, and our guest player," Steve grinned, "will be at shortstop." Steve raised an eyebrow. "You sure you know the game?"

"I have been forced to sit through more games than you've been alive years," Thor said severely. "I can handle shortstop."  
"Yes," Tasha mused, "but can we handle Dannie's team?"

"OF course we can!" Scott grinned. "We're superheroes."

"But," Bucky shrugged, "on the other hand…it's Dannie."

The team grimaced at that thought.

"Enough talking." Steve slammed his hands on the table.

"Let's play ball."

* * *

Steve and Dannie met toe to toe on the baseball field.

Despite the height difference and the fact that Steve was looking down at Dannie, he felt like he was the one with the disadvantage.

"Ready for this?" Dannie smirked up at Steve, tilting her head back to see him past the rim of her baseball cap.

"Not even a little bit," Steve admitted freely. After a moment, he raised his voice, "YOU'RE GOING DOWN." The other Avengers cheered from their dugout, and Dannie rolled her eyes.

"You don't know who you're dealing with," she murmured quietly. Louder, she said, "WE'RE GOING TO END YOU ROGERS…" She smirked, "AND YOUR LITTLE TEAM TOO."

The girls crowded in Dannie's dugout clanked their bats against the fencing and chanted "YOU'RE GOING DOWN! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"

Steve and Dannie shared a smile and a handshake before hurrying back to their dugouts.

* * *

"Alright Ladies," Dannie smiled at her team, her fists plopping onto her hips. "We're going up against some bio-engineered freaks of nature so we have our work cut out for us." The girls made faces and hissed.

"But," Dannie drew the word out, the smile on her face growing. "They may train together, but they've never played this game before. We have. They may be a team, but we're a baseball team. And we may have a few new faces," the girls patted Helen and Wanda on their backs, and the two women smiled, "But we've been a team longer than they have…so let's pummel these guys!"

"Need a hand?" The girls turned suddenly, grins brightening at the sight of the newcomer.

Dannie crossed her arms. "Loki. You must've heard about Thor turning traitor."

"Did he?" Loki rolled his eyes. "Of course he did. Well, this will make our victory taste that much sweeter." He rolled up the sleeves of his jacket, and Dannie held up a hand.

"Who says you can play with us?"

Loki paused, an eyebrow raising. He turned to the rest of the team.

"Ma," Jody spoke up, "We are a player short,"

"And Uncle Loki is the best third baseman we've ever had," Sam added.

"Plus," Abby grinned. "He is wearing pink."

Dannie looked down to the bright pink socks Loki had tucked into his baseball pants. "Dedicated," She mused, Loki smirked.

"Fine," Dannie threw up her hands. "Uncle Loki's wearing pink, so Uncle Loki can totally play with us."

The girls cheered, and Loki slung an arm over Dannie's shoulders.

"The Avengers won't know what hit them," Loki said cheerfully.

Dannie rolled her eyes, but she tended to agree.

* * *

The game was a close one. The Avengers had dumb luck and some athletic talent on their side, but The Lost Girls were no stranger to the baseball diamond…and they were ruthless.

By the last inning the game was tied and it was The Lost Girls up to bat.

Scott got the first out, when he stopped Abby from stealing second base.

Vision secured the second out, catching a fly ball hit by Helen.

Wanda, Sam, and Loki made it on base.

Then Dannie walked up to bat.

The Avengers narrowed their eyes and readied their gloves.

The Lost Girls and Loki's pivoted on the balls of their feet, ready to run.

Steve's first pitch was a ball, and Dannie smirked.

"Am I making you nervous?" Dannie teased, and Steve snorted.

"Hardly," he called back. Dannie rolled her eyes but got ready for the next pitch.

The second pitch was a strike.

Dannie's eyes narrowed at the call, and she adjusted her grip on the bat, sending Loki a quick nod.

The third pitch made contact, and Dannie swung with all her might. The ball flew over Bucky's head, and as Bucky rushed to grab it, Wanda made a run for home.

Bucky reached the ball and threw hard, and Tasha caught it neatly, aiming for Wanda but missing, officially putting the lost girls in the lead. Tasha grumbled and threw to Scott, who stomped on third base two seconds too late. Scott then threw the ball to Steve, who was covering second base, but Loki was already halfway to third. Steve threw the ball to Scott who just missed Loki, again, as Loki was nearing home plate. Loki smacked onto home before the ball made it to Tasha, and The Lost girls were officially three points ahead. Dannie was rounding second base and heading for third when Steve grabbed her around the waist and flung her over his shoulder.

"No!" Dannie screeched, and Steve held up his glove, the ball smacking into it a moment later.

"And…you're out!" Steve grinned and Dannie went limp in his arms.

"Game over." Steve finished.

"Jerk." Dannie muttered. "I'm glad you lost." She brightened. "Which means we won!" She looked up towards her team, raising her hands. "We won!"

The Lost girls screeched and thundered out of their dugout, headed towards their team captain. Steve's eyes widened and he tried to put Dannie down and get out of the way, but he was too slow. The Lost Girls rammed into Steve and Dannie and they fell to the ground, a large dog pile of young women forming, Steve and Dannie somewhere at the bottom.

Loki stood nearby and laughed, but then one of the Lost Girls grabbed him and he stumbled, falling onto the pile himself.

* * *

After a while the Lost Girls picked themselves up off the ground, revealing Dannie laying on top of Steve, her arms around his neck and his wrapped around her waist, their mouths connected.

"Whoa!" Bucky burst out, and the two lovebirds jumped.

"Ah!" Dannie screeched, scrambling backwards.

"Well!" Bucky crossed his arms. "It's about time!"

Dannie's eyebrows furrowed. "You're okay with this?" She asked, pointing between Steve and herself.

Bucky shrugged. "Duh. You guys are perfect together."

"And it only took you," Loki looked down at his wrist, "72 years to get together?"

Dannie grinned and shrugged, poking Steve in the side.

"What can I say?" Steve turned to Dannie, "I was worth the wait."

"Oh please!" Dannie shoved Steve, but he pulled her back into his side, and Dannie let it happen, chuckling.

Neither the other Avengers nor the Lost Girls were surprised.

The Lost Girls had actually planned for this, and The Avengers were just happy if Steve was happy, and Steve was obviously happy.

Steve and Dannie WERE perfect for each other, and even more?

It was almost like they were meant to be.

* * *

 **The end of the story where Dannie goes LEFT. Check out what happens when she makes a different choice in RIGHT**

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 **~CLC~**


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